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BEYOND    THE    ROCKIES 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Research  Library,  The  Getty  Research  Institute 


http://www.archive.org/details/rockiesspringjouOOstod 


BEYOND  THE  ROCKIES 


A  SPRING  JOURNEY  IN  CALIFORNIA 


BY 


CHARLES   AUGUSTUS   STODDARD 

Editor  of   "  The   New   York    Observer,"  Author  of 
"Across  Russia,"  "Spanish  Cities,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW   YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1894 


r 
Si 


COPYRIGHT,    1894,   BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


r*E  GETTY  CENTER 
I  'BRARY 


Co 
MARY    PRIME    STODDARD 

WHOSE  COMPANY   IN  THIS  JOURNEY 

AS    IN 

LIFE'S  LONGER  PILGRIMAGE 

HAS   DOUBLED   ITS   PLEASURES  AND    LIGHTENED   ITS   CARES 

THIS    BOOK    IS   AFFECTIONATELY   INSCRIBED 

BY 

THE  AUTHOR 


CONTENTS 


I.     South  and  West 

PAGE 

From  Winter  to  Spring  —  Plans  for  Mexico  nipped  in  the  Bud 

—  A  Raymond   Excursion  —  Virginia  and   Tennessee  — 
Lookout  Mountain  —  Its  Scenes  and  Memories 1 

II.     From  the  Mountains  to  the  Gulf 

Birmingham  and  its  Activities  —  Spring  in  New  Orleans  — 
Beauty  and  Business  —  The  Louisiana  Lottery  —  Growth, 
Enterprise,  and  Prosperity  —  Dr.  Palmer  and  his  Church. .       7 

III.     Along  the  Sunset  Road 

Louisiana  and  its  Fertile  Acres  —  Bayous  and  Rice-fields  — 
Galveston  and  its  Beach  —  Houston  and  its  Boom  —  Lit- 
erary Curiosities 14 

IV.  San  Antonio  de  Bexar 

The  Border  Fortress  —  A  Thrilling  History  —  The  Alamo  and 
its  Defenders  —  Scenes  in  the  Town  —  The  Jesuit  Missions 

—  A  Government  Post  and  Evening  Parade 19 

V.  Along  the  Rio  Grande 

Wild  and  Picturesque  Scenery  —  The  Town  of  Langtry  —  A 
One-Man  Government  —  Desert  Views  —  Marathon  and  its 
Greeks  —  Time  at  El  Paso 24 

VI.     New  Mexico  and  Arizona 

The  Town  of  Juares  —  Over  the  Border  —  Climate  and  Health 

—  Indian  Villages  —  Sunday  at  Tucson  —  Its  Schools  and 
University 30 

vii 


Vlll  CONTENTS 

VII.     One  of  Our  Indian  Schools 

PAGE 

A  Presbyterian  Contract  —  Good  Teachers  —  The  Correct  Idea 
of  Indian  Education  —  Reports  from  the  Government  Super- 
intendent       35 

VIII.     Through  the  Desert  to  Paradise 

Cacti  —  The  Colorado  River  —  Yuma  and  the  Indians  — Below 
the  Ocean  —  A  California  Riddle 44 

IX.     In  California 

Climate  and    Weather  —  Varied    Productions  —  Inhabitants 

—  Riverside  and  its  Oranges  —  Horticulture  and  its  Results    50 

X.     Coronado  Beach 

A  Narrow  Escape  —  Fine  Weather  —  A  Luxury  to  live  — 
Acres  of  Wild  Flowers  —  Beauty  on  Sea  and  Shore  —  Com- 
fort and  Good  Company  —  Excursions  —  Blue  Presby- 
terianism 57 

XL     Pasadena 

Signing  Tickets  —  Breaking  a  Train  in  Two  —  Ocean  Views  — 
Meeting  Dr.  Onniston  —  His  Good  AVork  —  Friends  in 
Pasadena  —  A  Big  Rose-Bush  —  The  Crown  of  the  Valley 

—  A  Model  Town G4 

XII.     In  the  San  Gabriel  Valley 

Excursions  in  the  Valley  —  Lucky  Baldwin  and  his  Ranch  — 
Sunny  Slope  Vineyards  —  The  Old  Mission — A  Mountain 
Railroad  —  Easter  Sunday  at  Pasadena 70 

XIII.     Thriving  Towns 

Los  Angeles  —  A  Flourishing  City  —  Hills  and  Homes —  Red- 
lauds  and  the  Smileys  —  The  Boy  who  wanted  to  be  a  Civil 
Engineer 77 


CONTENTS  IX 

XIV.     Santa  Barbara 

PAGE 

Beautiful  for  Situation  —  An  Earthquake  —  The  Tale  of  a 
Patron  Saint  —  First  Impressions  — A  Placid  Town  —  Nat- 
ural Beauties  —  A  Winter  View 82 

XV.     Roman  Catholic  Missions 

The  Padres  and  their  Work  —  The  Presidio  and  the  Church  — 
How  the  Missions  grew  —  A  Short,  Sad  History  —  The 
Lessons  of  the  Past 89 

XVI.     Flower  Festival  at  Santa  Barbara 

Multitudes  of  Flowers  —  Ten  Thousand  Roses  on  a  Carriage 
—  A  Flower  Dance — The  Floral  Procession  —  The  Mayor's 
Proclamation 96 

XVII.     Pleasure-Days  at  Santa  Barbara 

The  Mission  Canon  —  A  Picnic  at  Ellwood  —  Monte  Cito  and 
its  Gardens  —  The  Hot  Springs  —  The  Ojai  Valley  and  San 
Marcos  Pass 104 

XVIII.     Ancient  Spanish  Houses 

Carrillo  Arguello  and  de  la  Guerra  —  Old  Days  in  Santa  Bar- 
bara —  Feasts  and  Weddings  —  The  Chinese  Colony  — 
Friends  and  their  Work Ill 

XIX.     How  we  went  to  Yosejiite 

The  Crown  of  California  Scenery  —  A  Wily  Agent  —  Ruts  and 
Bogs  —  Fine  Air  and  Hard  Fare  —  An  Amei'ican  Jolting 
Car  —  Mules  and  their  Drivers  —  The  Public  and  its 
Servants 117 

XX.     The  Yosemite  Valley 

Our  Entrance  —  Wonderful  Views  —  Manifold  and  Beautiful 
Waterfalls  —  Precipices  Thousands  of  Feet  High  —  Mirror 
Lake  and  Merced  River  —  Did  the  Bottom  drop  out  — 
Grandeur  and  Triviality 123 


X  CONTENTS 

XXI.     California  Big  Trees 

PAGE 

Mariposa  and  Santa  Cruz  Groves  —  Comparisons  and  Meas- 
urements      130 

XXII.     Hetch-Hetchy  Valley 

An  Interesting  Letter — The  Canon  of  the  Tuolumne —  An 
Indian  Hiding  Place  —  Fish  and  Game 137 

XXIII.     El  Monte 

Rough  Travelling  —  Monterey  —  Its  Foundation  and  History 

—  The  Hotel  del  Monte  —  An  Artificial  Paradise  —  Flow- 
ers, Shrubs,  and  Trees  —  A  Priest's  Monument  —  The  Old 
Oak  —  Pacific  Grove  —  The  Seventeen-Mile  Drive  —  Seals, 
Shells,  Buffaloes,  and  Bears  —  Strange  Cypresses 143 

XXIV.     In  the  Santa  Clara  Valley 

Incidents  at  Santa  Cruz  —  San  Jose  —  Churches,  Public  Build- 
ings, and  Schools  —  Lick  Observatory  —  Leland  Stanford 
Junior  University  —  Palo  Alto  Stables  —  Training  School 
for  Fast  Trotters 155 

XXV.     San  Francisco 

Dana's  Prophecy  —  California  Optimism  —  The  Chinese  Prob- 
lem —  A  Curious  and  Composite  City  —  Beautiful  Suburbs 

—  A  Visit  to  Chinatown  —  The  Theatre  and  Opium  Dens 

—  Chinese  Men,  Women,  and  Children  —  Sausalito,  Ross 
Valley,  and  San  Rafael  —  A  Sudden  Squall  —  The  Presby- 
terian Seminary  —  Friends  and  Festivities  —  Sacramento. .   172 

XXVI.     Across  the  Sierra  to  Salt  Lake 

Sacramento  to  Cape  Horn  —  Silver  Mining  —  Among  the 
Snow-Sheds  —  Deserts  and  Indians  —  Great  Salt  Lake  — 
The  Sacred  Inclosure  —  Tabernacle  and  Temple  —  The 
Lion  House  and  the  Beehive  —  A  Thriving  City  —  A 
Resume4  of  Mormon  History  —  The  Creed  and  Government 
of  the  Church  —  Fort  Douglas 181 


CONTENTS  XI 

XXVII.     Crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains 

PAGE 

Wild  and  Grand  Scenery  —  New  and  Wonderful  Hot  Springs 
—  Six  Hundred  Miles  for  Twenty-five  Cents — Two  Miles 
up  in  the  Air  —  Leadville,  Colorado  —  The  Collegiate 
Mountains  —  Climbing  Marshall  Pass  —  Railroads  as  High 
as  Mount  Blanc  —  Engines  play  Hide  and  Seek  —  The 
Royal  Gorge  —  An  Engineering  Feat  —  The  Pittsburgh  of 
the  West 192 

XXVIII.     Colorado  Springs,  Manitou,  and  Denver 

The  Invalids'  Home  —  The  Mineral  Springs  of  Manitou  — 
"Garden  of  the  Gods1'  —  Helen  Hunt  Jackson's  Grave  — 
Pike's  Peak — Its  Difficulties,  Wonders,  and  Glories — The 
Central  City  of  the  Union  —  Mines  and  Industries  — Enter- 
prising People  —  Daniel  Webster  no  Prophet  —  The  View 
from  City  Park  —  Hospitality  and  Home  Feeling  —  On  to 
the  Exposition  —  Home  Again 204 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


AN    AVENUE    IX    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA         .       .       .      Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

THE    LEVEE,    NEW   ORLEANS 8 

THE    ALAMO,    SAN    ANTONIO 20 

INDIAN    GROUP,    ARIZONA 30 

CALIFORNIA    ROSE   GARDEN 50 

EAMONA'S    MARRIAGE    PLACE,    SAN    DIEGO 58 

PASADENA    AND    MOUNT    WILSON 66 

ROSE    COTTAGE,    LOS    ANGELES 78 

SANTA    BARBARA 82 

CASTLE    ROCK,    SANTA    BARBARA   BAY 86 

BELFRY   OF    SAN    GABRIEL    MISSION 90 

FLOWER    FESTIVAL,    SANTA    BARBARA 96 

OLIVE    GROVE,    COOPER'S    RANCH 104 

OAK   GROVE,    NEAR    GAVIOTA 108 

OLD    ADOBE,    SANTA    BARBARA 112 

YOSEMITE    VALLEY   FROM    UNION   POINT 118 

BRIDAL    VEIL    FALL,    YOSEMITE 126 

BIG    TREES,    SANTA    CRUZ 132 

CYPRESS    GROUP,    MONTEREY 154 

LICK   OBSERVATORY,    MOUNT    HAMILTON 164 

ROUNDING    CAPE    HORN,    SIERRA    NEVADA 182 

CASTLE    GATE,    ROCKY   MOUNTAINS 192 

PIKE'S    PEAK    FROM    COLORADO    SPRINGS 204 


***  The  thanks  of  the  Publishers  are  due  Messrs.  W.  H.  Jackson  Co.  of 
Denver,  Taber  of  San  Francisco,  and  Watkins  of  San  Francisco  for  the  use 
of  photographs  from  which  the  illustrations  in  this  book  are  made. 


BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

i 

SOUTH   AND    WEST 

FROM    WINTER    TO    SPRING PLANS    FOR    MEXICO    NIPPED 

IN     THE     BUD  A     RAYMOND     EXCURSION  VIRGINIA 

AND    TENNESSEE LOOKOUT    MOUNTAIN  ITS    SCENES 

AND    MEMORIES 

The  streets  of  New  York  were  piled  high  with 
snow,  and  a  bitter  winter  wind,  which  had  been 
blowing  for  the  greater  part  of  three  months,  made 
our  bones  ache  and  our  throats  sore.  The  memories 
of  the  Riviera,  and  Tangier,  and  Malaga  began  to 
assert  themselves,  and  the  temptation  to  go  by  the 
new  Mediterranean  route  to  a  land  of  sun  and 
warmth  was  very  strong.  Yet  we  remembered  the 
oft-repeated  question  when  in  Spain:  "You  have 
been  in  Mexico?"  and  the  assertion  made  by  an  en- 
thusiastic traveller,  that  Mexico  was  better  worth 
seeing  than  Spain,  and  that  California  as  far  sur- 
passed the  Riviera  as  the  garden  of  Eden  excelled 
the  Central  Park.  Let  us  go  to  Mexico,  and  come 
home  by  California  and  the  Chicago  Fair.  So  plans 
were  made,  and  tickets  were  engaged,  and  March  was 

1 


2  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

to  come  in  like  a  lion,  and  drive  us  out  to  pastures 
new  and  green. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  trunks  packed,  and  the 
key  in  the  door,  that  friend  and  foe  of  travellers, 
the  electric  telegraph,  brought  word  that  there  was 
an  epidemic  of  typhus  fever  in  Mexico,  and  that  it 
would  be  risky  to  make  the  tour.  We  sadly  laid 
aside  Prescott's  "  Conquest  of  Mexico  "  and  the  other 
interesting  volumes  with  which  we  had  been  refresh- 
ing our  minds,  and  had  nearly  laid  aside  the  care- 
fully planned  route  through  California,  and  deter- 
mined to  see  the  winter  out,  if  it  took  all  summer  to 
do  it.  But  wiser  counsels  prevailed,  and  we  turned 
the  key  in  the  lock,  spent  two  hours  in  driving  over 
frozen  billows  of  mud  and  snow  to  the  Central  Rail- 
road station  at  the  foot  of  Liberty  Street,  and  took 
places  in  a  Pullman  car,  which  was  to  be  our  bed  by 
night  and  boudoir  by  day,  for  a  pull  across  the 
continent. 

All  experienced  travellers  had  advised  us  not  to 
travel  in  Mexico  without  having  a  dining-car  in  the 
train,  and  to  secure  that  needful  comfort  we  had 
joined  what  is  known  as  a  "  Raymond  "  party.  This 
is  a  conducted  party  of  tourists  who  travel  in  a  more 
elegant  and  comfortable  manner  than  the  ordinary 
parties  with  which  the  travelling  public  is  familiar. 
They  have  their  own  train,  not  crowded  or  common- 
place, they  go  according  to  their  own  schedules, 
and  have  all  the  luxuries  which  can  be  furnished  on 
the  route  at  their  command.  If  the  hotels  are  poor, 
they  use  their  own  hotel,  which  is  always  first-class, 
and  their  tickets  and  luggage  and  everything  else 


SOUTH   AjSTD    WEST  6 

which  impede  and  irritate  the  ordinary  traveller,  are 
cared  for  by  experienced  and  agreeable  attendants. 
This  is  the  theory  of  a  "  Raymond  "  excursion,  and  I 
am  bound  to  say  that,  allowance  being  made  for  the 
accidents  of  existence,  and  the  frailty  of  human 
nature  under  the  best  circumstances,  the  practice 
accords  fairly  well  with  the  theory.  Some  things 
will  not  always  work  harmoniously,  and  it  so  hap- 
pened that  the  Boston  part  of  the  train  was  delayed 
by  a  "lost  Pullman,"  and  by  heavy  snowdrifts,  so 
that  the  New  Yorkers  waited  five  hours  in  Phila- 
delphia for  the  "slow  coaches  "  from  New  England. 
There  is  a  calm  and  serene  atmosphere  about  the  City 
of  Brotherly  Love  which  tends  to  reduce  irritation 
and  lessen  impatience,  and  so  we  welcomed  our  be- 
lated friends  with  a  smile,  and  dined  together  in 
unity  as  we  steamed  on  to  Washington.  Night 
found  us  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  morning 
dawned  upon  us  near  the  Natural  Bridge.  All  traces 
of  snow  were  gone.  The  tender  blades  of  grass  were 
just  pushing  through  the  earth,  the  clear  air  was 
resonant  with  the  songs  of  birds,  and  the  rivers  ran 
full  and  yellow  with  the  unfrosted  and  crumbling 
soil.  It  was  a  great  and  beneficent  change  from  icy 
winter  to  the  breath  of  early  spring. 

Through  the  day  we  journeyed  on  through  Virginia 
and  Eastern  Tennessee,  spending  an  hour  at  Bris- 
tol, which  has  the  characteristics  of  a  border  town 
between  two  states,  groups  of  tall,  lean,  broad-shoul- 
dered men  lounging  at  corners,  and  rows  of  well- 
splashed  horses  hitched  in  front  of  the  main  avenue 
stores,  while  the  trolley  cars  hissed  and  rocked  along 


4  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

the  uneven  track  in  the  street.  The  churches  were 
the  best  buildings  in  the  place.  A  few  handsome 
houses  on  the  bluff  gave  evidence  of  wealth  and 
prosperity,  while  crowds  of  poorly  clad  negro  boys, 
loafing  and  loitering  in  the  sunshine,  formed  another 
element  in  the  picture.  At  Morristown  we  came  to 
the  familiar  scenery  of  the  road  leading  through  the 
Balsams  into  the  Asheville  Valley,  where  we  spent 
some  pleasant  weeks  just  a  year  before,  and  then  we 
came  to  Knoxville,  the  large,  thriving,  and  growing 
town,  which  has  one  of  the  longest  and  most  hon- 
orable histories  —  civil,  military,  and  religious  —  of 
the  towns  in  this  region.  We  had  elected  to  pass 
by  Knoxville,  and  to  run  to  Chattanooga,  and  find 
our  first  stopping-place  on  the  summit  of  Lookout 
Mountain,  at  the  Lookout  Mountain  Inn,  a  new  and 
elaborate  establishment  in  one  of  the  grandest  posi- 
tions of  the  country.  The  building  is  new,  and  is 
placed  on  the  eastern  face  of  the  mountain.  •  It  has 
a  fine  frontage  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet, 
fully  cleared,  which  commands  an  unsurpassed  view 
over  the  valley  of  the  Tennessee,  and  is  flanked  on 
either  side  by  forests  of  oak  and  pine.  In  the 
winter  the  air  is  clear  and  mild,  and  the  heats  of 
summer  are  tempered  by  cool  breezes  which  play 
over  the  lofty  mountain  height.  Rising  seven  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  valley  in  which  the  city  of  Chatta- 
nooga lies,  and  twenty-two  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea-level,  with  precipitous  sides,  it  affords  views  of 
exceptional  grandeur  and  extent,  and  the  panorama 
is  remarkable  for  variety  and  beauty.  From  this 
summit,  portions   of   seven   states  can  be  seen,  and 


SOUTH    AND    WEST  5 

here  are  some  of  the  most  famous  battle-fields  of  the 
Civil  War.  Far  to  the  northwest,  the  blue  outlines 
of  the  Cumberland  Mountains  line  the  horizon,  while 
a  multitude  of  lower  peaks  rise  nearer  in  the  land- 
scape. On  the  east  lie  Walden's  Ridge  and  Sher- 
man Heights,  and  then  comes  the  famous  Missionary 
Ridge,  backed  by  the  Great  Smokies  which  have 
been  made  famous  by  the  romances  of  Charles  Egbert 
Craddock.  In  front,  the  Tennessee  River  sweeps  in 
wide  curves  through  a  vast  semicircular  plain,  and 
the  populous  and  busy  town,  with  its  converging 
lines  of  railroad,  is  spread  out  as  on  a  map  before 
the  eye. 

One  is  reminded  here  of  Sherman,  and  Thomas, 
and  Grant,  and  Hooker;  of  the  battles  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge  and  Chickamauga,  and  of  the  terrible 
struggle  which  has  passed  into  history  as  "  the  battle 
above  the  clouds."  An  old  Confederate  soldier  acts 
as  guide  to  the  tourist,  and  there  are  few  of  the 
struggles  of  the  Rebellion  which  have  such  a  van- 
tage ground  from  which  their  movements  can  be 
pointed  out  and  described  to  the  visitor  of  to-day. 
Lookout  Mountain  extends  over  the  border-line  into 
Georgia,  and  along  its  rugged  sides  are  points  of 
observation,  each  revealing  wonderful  views  and 
manifold  attractions  of  woodland,  water,  and  moun- 
tain scenery.  Two  railroads  climb  the  summit,  one 
by  a  series  of  zigzags  which  in  ten  miles  moves  four 
times  across  the  face  of  the  cliffs,  rising  each  time 
about  four  hundred  feet;  the  other  is  a  cable  road 
which  ascends  directly  from  the  valley  up  a  steep 
incline.     A  fine  carriage  road  also  brings  the  trav- 


5  BEYOND    THE    ROOKIES 

eller  up  in  an  hour,  and  connects  with  many  excel- 
lent drives  over  the  country. 

Far  in  the  distance  is  seen  the  National  Cemetery, 
where,  among  costly  and  elegant  monuments,  lie  four 
thousand  unknown  dead  whose  graves  are  marked  by 
a  single  white  stone,  the  memorials  of  a  conflict 
which,  unlike  most  civil  wars,  has  bound  a  people 
more  strongly  than  ever  in  national  unity.  Long 
may  it  be  before  this  broad  and  heaven-blessed  land 
shall  again  be  bathed  in  blood!  Mutual  self-respect, 
honor,  justice,  and  the  nobility  of  the  American 
people  are  among  the  heritages  of  those  years  of  war; 
have  they  not  also  taught  us  the  value  of  mutual  for- 
bearance, national  patriotism,  and  Christian  love  and 
labor,  to  make  a  nation  great? 


II 

FROM   THE   MOUNTAINS  TO  THE  GULF 

BIRMINGHAM      AND      ITS      ACTIVITIES SPRING      IN      NEW 

ORLEANS BEAUTY     AND     BUSINESS THE    LOUISIANA 

LOTTERY GROWTH,   ENTERPRISE,   AND    PROSPERITY 

DR.    PALMER    AND    HIS    CHURCH 

From  Lookout  Mountain,  with  its  picturesque 
scenery  and  historic  reminiscences,  to  the  practical 
and  modern  city  of  Birmingham,  Alabama,  is  a 
great  change,  but  a  ride  of  a  few  hours  on  the  famous 
Queen  and  Crescent  Railway  effected  the  transfor- 
mation. Spring  had  not  clothed  the  earth  with  fresh 
garments,  but  here  and  there  a  peach  tree  bloomed 
pink,  and  the  white  blossoms  of  the  spiraea  waved 
in  the  mild  breeze.  Some  ploughing  had  been  done, 
but  for  the  most  part  all  things  in  nature  were  await- 
ing the  touch  of  the  enchanter  to  burst  forth  in  ver- 
nal loveliness.  Birmingham,  however,  was  all 
alive.  Its  electric  cars  hissed  along  wide  avenues, 
hurling  crowds  of  people  through  the  town,  and 
making  the  air  resonant  with  gongs  and  the  whirr 
of  wheels.  A  mad  "  dummy  "  engine  with  two  open 
cars,  wildly  tossing  and  heaving  as  if  upon  mid- 
ocean,  plunged  up  and  down  hill  and  valley,  through 
town  and  suburb,  with  tolling   bell  and  shrieking 

7 


8  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

whistle,  the  load  of  passengers  constantly  changing ; 
and  the  sidewalks  were  full  of  people,  hurrying 
hither  and  thither  as  if  a  section  of  Chicago  had 
been  let  loose  in  this  Alabama  town.  There  were 
new  buildings  since  a  year  ago,  and  more  were  be- 
ing built,  and  it  seemed  as  if  we  were  in  a  paradise 
of  "drummers,"  and  a  place  whence  rest  and  quiet 
had  forever  fled.  It  were  better  to  sleep  on  the 
rumbling  train,  which  seemed  slow  beside  this  fast 
town,  and  so  the  rising  sun  found  us  in  the  middle 
of  Lake  Pontchartrain,  seven  miles  of  which  are 
crossed  by  this  railway  on  a  bridge  of  piles  before 
entering  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

When  I  was  in  New  Orleans  just  a  year  before,  a 
bitter  "norther"  had  swooped  down  upon  the  city, 
frozen  the  strawberries  into  bullets,  and  cut  down 
all  the  flowers  and  early  vegetables.  Under  such 
circumstances  it  was  not  easy  to  believe  that  March 
was  anything  but  a  roaring  lion,  whether  encoun- 
tered on  Boston  Common  or  on  the  Mississippi 
Levee.  This  year,  I  am  assured,  the  spring  is  nor- 
mal, and  it  is  a  very  lovely  season.  The  gardens 
and  dooryards  of  the  handsome  villas  on  St.  Charles 
Avenue  and  Prytania  Street  were  full  of  roses, 
climbing  over  arches,  clinging  to  trellises,  and 
gathered  into  masses  of  color  here  and  there  on  the 
green  lawns ;  beds  of  hyacinths  and  lilies,  acacia 
with  its  yellow  hair,  and  the  wax-like  china-berry, 
blooming  amidst  palms  and  oleanders;  the  fresh 
green  foliage  of  the  liveoaks  and  the  polished  dark 
leaves  of  the  magnolia  delighted  the  eye  and  filled 
the  air  with  fragrance.      Our  days  were  spent  in  the 


FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS  TO  THE  GULF      9 

open,  and  with  the  blossoming  spring  the  population 
seemed  to  have  a  new  character.  Bright  colors 
flowed  along  the  avenues  as  crowds  of  beautiful 
women  and  girls,  happy  and  laughing,  gathered  on 
the  promenades  to  shop,  to  chatter,  to  see,  and  to  be 
seen.  Even  the  men  had  caught  the  tone  of  the 
season,  and  for  one  black  coat  there  were  a  dozen 
gray  or  fawn-colored,  and  a  flood  of  sunshine  filled 
the  streets  and  sparkled  all  over  the  laughing  waves 
of  the  red  and  rushing  rivers.  The  levees  were 
loaded  with  bales  of  cotton  and  boxes  of  sugar  and 
barrels  of  turpentine  and  rice,  and  great  vessels  were 
discharging  as  well  as  loading  cargoes. 

There  was  a  drawing  of  the  Louisiana  Lottery 
while  we  were  in  the  city.  Its  days  in  Louisiana 
and  in  the  United  States  are  numbered,  and  it  will 
be  no  longer  a  blot  and  a  disgrace  to  American 
civilization,  though  I  fear  that  it  will  still  reap 
from  its  new  rendezvous  in  Honduras  a  harvest  of 
victims  from  our  country.  It  is  a  sad  fact  that,  while 
the  lottery  has  been  established  in  the  South,  it  has 
been  largely  supported  by  the  North.  At  the  recent 
drawing,  the  capital  prize  was  drawn  in  Boston,  and 
many  of  the  other  large  prizes  were  drawn  in  such 
cities  as  Cleveland,  and  Rochester,  and  Detroit.  The 
passion  for  gambling  is  not  confined  by  isothermal 
lines,  and  rages  as  furiously  in  the  staid  and  pious 
state  of  New  Jersey  as  among  the  Creoles  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  Great  credit  is  due  to  the  state 
of  Louisiana  for  ridding  itself  from  the  evil  monster 
that  injured  its  reputation  and  its  own  people,  while 
enticing-  others  to  sin.     This  state  is  growing-  stead- 


10  BEYOND  THE   ROCKIES 

ily  in  those  elements  of  character  and  conduct  which 
make  political  communities  strong  and  great.  The 
city  problem  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  a  hard  one  to 
solve,  but  there  is  much  salt  in  New  Orleans,  and 
with  the  outgoing  of  the  lottery  one  bad  thing  will 
pass  away.  Some  persons  may  imagine  that  the 
drawings  of  the  lottery  are  scenes  of  excitement,  but 
nothing  could  be  farther  from  the  truth.  They  are 
as  formal  and  businesslike  as  the  announcement  of 
the  prizes  at  a  college  commencement,  and  not  half 
as  interesting  as  an  auction  sale.  They  take  place 
in  the  Opera  House,  and  are  attended  by  a  moderate 
audience.  Upon  a  platform  are  two  large  wheels,  in 
one  of  which  are  the  numbers,  amounting  to  hun- 
dreds of  thousands.  These  numbers  are  inclosed  in 
little  gutta-percha  tubes.  In  the  other  wheel  are 
similar  tubes  containing  the  various  numbers  of  dol- 
lars which  constitute  the  prizes.  Thus,  while  there 
may  be  three  hundred  thousand  tickets  sold  or  given 
out  for  sale  at  a  drawing,  there  are  only  eleven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  prizes,  varying  from  seventy-five 
thousand  to  forty  dollars.  General  Early,  the  Con- 
federate general,  sat  beside  one  wheel;  another  man, 
who  has  taken  the  place  of  General  Beauregard  since 
his  death,  sat  at  the  other  wheel.  Two  negro  boys, 
blindfolded,  stood  between  the  two,  and  in  the  rear, 
at  a  table,  were  clerks  to  record  the  drawings.  After 
a  brief  announcement  of  what  drawing  was  to  be 
made,  by  General  Early,  in  a  thin  and  tremulous 
voice,  the  wheels  were  turned  by  an  assistant,  and 
opened.  The  blinded  boy  put  his  hand  in  and  took 
out  one  of  the  gutta-percha  tubes.     It  was  broken 


FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS  TO  THE  GULF     11 

open  by  General  Early,  and  the  number  called.  We 
will  say  that  it  was  11,271.  The  other  boy  put  his 
hand  into  the  other  wheel,  drew  out  a  tube,  and 
handed  it  to  the  representative  of  General  Beaure- 
gard. He  broke  the  tube  and  read  out  three  hun- 
dred dollars.  This  result  he  announced,  and  a  record 
was  made  on  the  blackboard  for  all  to  see  that  No. 
11,271  had  drawn  the  prize  of  three  hundred  dollars. 
The  paper  number  and  the  paper  bearing  the  dollar 
marks  were  then  fastened  together,  and  passed  to  the 
registering  clerks.  All  this  was  done  rapidly  and 
mechanically,  from  eight  to  twelve  numbers  being- 
called  in  a  minute.  Now  and  then  a  request  was 
made  to  turn  the  wheel.  Then  it  was  closed  up, 
and  a  strong  man  came  forward  and  gave  the  great 
circle  a  few  turns,  after  which  it  was  opened  again, 
and  the  drawing  went  forward  as  before.  It  took 
several  hours  to  draw  the  eleven  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  prizes.  Of  course,  all  the  rest  of  the  numbers 
remaining  in  the  wheel  failed  to  win,  and  were 
summarily  destro}*ed,  and  with  them  the  hopes  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  and  women  who  had 
bought  tickets.  Few  are  aware  of  the  length  to 
which  this  gambling  mania  has  extended,  though 
most  pastors  and  jmysicians  know  some  of  its  sad 
results.  I  knew  one  man  of  good  reputation,  a 
thrifty  farmer,  who  was  ruined  by  drawing  a  prize 
of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Work  had  no  more 
charms  for  him  ;  he  idled  and  gambled  away  his 
time  and  money,  and  died  a  sot.  I  knew  a  repu- 
table and  respected  physician  who  spent  most  of 
the   earnings   of  a  large  practice  in  the  Louisiana 


12  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Lottery,  and  left  his  family  without  a  dollar,  and  no 
one  ever  imagined  how  he  could  have  made  such  poor 
investments !  The  number  of  clerks  who  have  de- 
frauded their  employers,  and  business  men  who  failed 
through  the  temptations  of  the  lottery,  would  make  a 
long,  sad  list.  Let  us  be  thankful  that  if  the  ser- 
pent is  not  killed,  he  will  at  least  be  scotched. 

I  said  that  there  was  steady  growth  in  good  and 
strong  elements  in  Louisiana.  This  is  evident  in 
the  many  sound  and  valuable  enterprises  which  are 
set  on  foot  in  the  state,  its  increase  of  railroad- 
building,  farming,  and  manufacturing,  and  also  in 
the  enlargement  and  support  of  literary  and  religious 
associations,  schools,  and  churches.  The  Southern 
people  have  a  religious  nature  that  responds  to  cul- 
ture, and  while  there  is  a  class  that  find  pleasure  and 
excitement  in  the  race  course,  the  prize  ring,  and 
kindred  sports,  these  are  not  the  representative 
people  any  more  than  they  are  elsewhere.  In  the 
closely  seated  pews  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Lafayette  Square  on  Sunday  morning,  when  I 
heard  the  venerable,  but  still  strong,  Dr.  Palmer 
preach  an  old-fashioned  gospel  sermon,  eloquent, 
powerful,  and  with  pathetic  appeal,  I  recognized  the 
saving  element  of  such  a  city  as  New  Orleans. 
There  was  nothing  sensational  in  the  sermon,  except 
as  truth  vividly  presented  and  clearly  defined  and 
earnestly  enforced  is  sensational.  Dr.  Palmer  stood 
upon  the  platform,  and  spoke  like  an  orator  pos- 
sessed and  mastered  by  his  theme,  and  the  audience 
listened  intently  for  nearly  an  hour  with  no  sign  of 
restlessness  or  satiety.     When  the  sermon  was  ended, 


FROM  THE  MOUNTAINS  TO  THE  GULF     13 

his  assistant  made  a  short  prayer,  and  after  a  single 
verse  sung  with  full  organ  and  by  all  the  people,  the 
congregation,  numbering  from  fifteen  hundred  to 
two  thousand  people,  streamed  out  into  the  square, 
and  went  homeward  in  every  direction. 


Ill 

ALONG   THE   SUNSET   ROAD 

LOUISIANA  AND   ITS   FERTILE  ACRES BAYOUS   AND   RICE- 
FIELDS GALVESTON  AND    ITS    BEACH HOUSTON   AND 

ITS    BOOM LITERARY    CURIOSITIES 

From  New  Orleans  our  course  lay  through  the 
southern  portion  of  Louisiana.  A  large  ferry-boat 
takes  the  heavy  Pullman  train  across  the  Mississippi 
River  to  the  station  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
at  Algiers.  Great  neatness  and  taste  are  shown 
here,  as  also  at  all  the  road  stations.  Vines  grow 
over  the  buildings,  and  these  stand  in  gardens  of 
semi-tropical  trees  and  flowers.  Through  a  well- 
cultivated  region,  we  come  to  the  swamps  where  alli- 
gators find  their  home,  then  to  rice-fields,  frequently 
crossing  broad  bayous  and  mouths  of  the  Mississippi. 
Evidences  of  prosperity  and  profitable  agriculture  are 
all  about  us.  The  lands  of  Louisiana  yield  under 
cultivation  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  bushels  of  corn, 
from  one  to  three  hogsheads  of  sugar,  per  acre,  and 
one  or  two  bales  of  cotton.  Rice  yields  thirty  to 
seventy-five  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  is  planted 
broadcast  in  the  lowlands,  but  in  the  highlands  it  is 
sown  in  rows,  and  cultivated  with  the  plough,  being 
cut  by  machinery  and  threshed  like  our  wheat. 

14 


ALONG  THE  SUNSET  ROAD  15 

The  sugar  interests  are  very  extensive,  and  absorb 
a  great  amount  of  capital.  I  was  most  agreeably 
disappointed  at  the  fertility  and  excellent  cultiva- 
tion which  the  ride  through  Louisiana  exhibited. 
Evidences  of  thrift  and  industry  were  manifest 
everywhere,  in  well-tilled  farms,  new  and  well-kept 
buildings,  and  enterprise  along  the  bayous  and  at 
shipping  ports.  The  scenery  is  varied  and  attractive, 
and  the  journey  to  Texas  one  of  the  pleasantest  por- 
tions of  our  trip.  The  "  Sunset "  route  leads  through 
Louisiana  to  the  great  state  of  Texas,  the  largest 
state  in  the  Union,  containing  two  hundred  and 
seventy-four  thousand  square  miles,  and  nearly  two 
and  a  half  millions  of  inhabitants.  It  is  three  times 
as  large  as  the  state  of  New  York,  and  has  a  great 
variety  of  soil  and  climate.  And  here  let  me  say 
that  much  allowance  must  be  made  for  statements 
about  climate.  Nothing  is  more  fickle  and  uncertain 
than  weather,  and  few  persons  think  alike  about  it. 
When,  therefore,  we  read  of  regions  where  it  is 
never  too  cold  or  too  hot,  where  it  never  rains  or 
blows,  where  earth  is  a  paradise,  and  the  heav- 
ens a  beautiful  canopy  throughout  the  year,  it  will 
not  do  to  accept  these  things  literally. 

During  the  days  that  we  spent  at  New  Orleans 
and  in  Louisiana  the  sun  was  bright,  the  air  was 
mild  and  fragrant,  all  nature  seemed  to  rejoice,  and 
the  city  to  be  merry  in  the  general  joy ;  but  when  we 
had  passed  through  the  state  of  Louisiana,  and  come 
to  Galveston,  in  Texas,  it  was  almost  winter. 
"  What  is  the  matter  with  the  climate  ? "  said  I  to 
the  livery  stable  keeper  as  I  ordered  a  carriage  to 


16  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

drive  upon  the  magnificent  beach.  His  reply  illus- 
trates my  remarks.  "  It  was  splendid  weather  yester- 
day, but  a  'blue  norther'  came  down  last  night  and 
froze  us  out."  Before  I  had  driven  an  hour  on  the 
beach  I  was  as  cold  as  ever  I  got  in  the  great  New 
York  blizzard,  though  there  was  no  sign  of  frost  nor 
flake  of  snow. 

Galveston  is  a  prosperous  town  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  with  several  tributary  railroads,  and  a  large 
importing  and  exporting  business.  Its  large  and 
extensive  warehouses,  and  stores  of  brick  and  stone, 
and  many  elegant  residences  sit  on  the  sides  and 
corners  of  wide  streets  laid  out  at  right  angles  in  the 
deep  sand,  through  which  the  horses  drag  their  heavy 
loads.  One  paved  avenue  gives  access  to  the  beach, 
which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  extending 
for  forty  miles  along  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  hard, 
smooth,  of  the  finest  white  sand,  and  so  gradual  in 
its  slope  as  to  render  it  a  safe  thoroughfare  at  all 
times  of  wind  and  tide.  At  some  points  there  are 
clusters  of  summer  houses  with  accommodations  for 
bathing,  and  a  large  hotel  connected  with  Galveston 
by  an  electric  railroad  invites  the  resident  as  well 
as  the  traveller  to  the  seashore  and  its  delights. 
The  landlord  said  that  it  was  never  too  hot  for  pleas- 
ure there,  because  of  the  cool  airs  from  the  Gulf,  but 
when  I  asked  him  whether  it  was  never  too  cool  for 
comfort,  he  admitted  that  the  steam-pipes  in  the 
dining-room  and  the  big  stove  in  the  hall  were 
arranged  in  view  of  the  not  unfrequent  invasion  of 
these  mild  shores  by  the  "blue  norther"  during  the 
winter  season.     The  gardens  in  Galveston  had  some 


ALONG   THE    SUNSET   ROAD  17 

palm  trees  and  manifold  flowers  growing  in  them, 
and  the  place  was  attractive  and  pleasant  with  a  few 
exceptional  features.  The  deep  sand  in  the  streets, 
the  hissing  trolley  roads,  and  the  electric  lights 
which  destroy  the  eyesight,  are  the  disagreeable 
things  in  an  otherwise  most  agreeable  town.  The 
inhabitants  are  well-to-do,  thrifty,  hospitable,  and 
intelligent,  as  all  their  works  and  ways  most  cer- 
tainly prove. 

We  spent  an  afternoon  at  Houston.  A  greater 
contrast  could  hardly  be  imagined  than  between 
Houston  and  Galveston.  I  have  described  Galves- 
ton. Houston  is  its  opposite.  It  stands  upon  hills. 
Its  streets  are  dirt}7,  unpaved,  rough,  and  stony. 
Bar-rooms  abound;  filthy,  unkempt,  and  drunken 
men  loaf  about  the  corners  and  swarm  at  the  liquor 
shops.  Twelve  lines  of  electric  cars  make  travel 
noisy  and  dangerous.  Jaded  beasts  and  rattletrap 
wagons  are  drawn  up  at  well-gnawed  hitch ing-posts. 
The  shops  are  full  of  coarse  and  tawdry  goods,  and 
the  air  is  redolent  of  vile  smells,  and  blue  with 
profanity  and  tobacco  smoke.  Upon  a  hill  several 
miles  from  Houston,  under  the  name  of  Houston 
Heights,  another  city  is  being  erected. 

It  is  two  miles  from  the  Harris  County  court- 
house in  Houston  to  the  Houston  Heights  Grand 
Boulevard,  and  thence  the  route  of  the  electric  cars 
lies  through  the  new  town.  Graded  and  paved  and 
sewered  streets,  supplied  with  water  and  electricity, 
have  been  laid  out  through  the  forest  upon  the 
heights.  Specimen  houses  have  been  built,  and  lots 
are  for  sale  "at  rates  that  defy  competition,"  as  the 


18  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

cheap  clothing  stores  say  in  their  advertisements. 
Fine  stone  and  lumber,  as  well  as  sand,  are  close 
at  hand,  and  if  I  lived  in  Houston  I  should  not  delay 
a  single  day  in  moving  out  to  the  new  town.  There 
are  several  cities  which  have  been  recommended  to 
me  by  interested  parties  as  desirable  places  to  make 
investments,  but  I  certainly  would  not  advise  un- 
friends to  bury  their  earnings  in  any  town  lots  which 
they  do  not  know  more  about  than  I  can  tell  them 
about  the  plant  and  power  of  this  new  city.  Texas 
is  a  large  state,  and  there  is  much  land  in  it  to  be 
possessed.  It  is  a  rude  state,  albeit  a  powerful  and 
independent  one.  Its  people  fought  for  their  inde- 
pendence, and  value  it,  and  assert  it  in  ways  which 
are  not  always  agreeable  to  mild-mannered  people, 
and  which  contact  with  civilization  will  modify  and 
probably  improve.  The  gospel  of  cleanliness,  and 
decent  speech,  and  politeness,  which  obtains  through 
the  old  Southern  states  equally  with  the  North,  has 
not  spread  completely  over  the  "Lone  Star,"  and  the 
language  of  comment  and  criticism,  as  used  in  the 
daily  press,  does  not  indicate  a  high  degree  of  in- 
tellectual or  moral  culture. 


IV 
SAN    ANTONIO    DE   BEXAR 

THE    BORDER    FORTRESS A     THRILLING     HISTORY THE 

ALAMO    AND    ITS    DEFENDERS SCENES    IN    THE    TOWN 

THE    JESUIT    MISSIONS A    GOVERNMENT    POST    AND 

EVENING    PARADE 

A  journey  of  nearly  six  hundred  miles  from  New 
Orleans  brings  the  traveller  to  the  large  and  inter- 
esting city  of  San  Antonio  de  Bexar  (pronounced 
Vayhar,  and  usually  known  as  San  Antonio),  which 
has  about  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  a  thrilling  his- 
tory, and  an  active  and  prosperous  present.  Here 
the  old  Spanish  and  priestly  rule  is  represented  by 
ruined  missions  and  churches ;  the  Mexican  occupa- 
tion is  still  kept  in  mind  by  that  quarter  of  the  town 
inhabited  by  the  black-haired,  yellow  race,  with  bead 
eyes,  piercing  and  restless.  There  they  continue 
their  ancient  customs,  and  eat  their  open-air  suppers 
of  tortillas  at  midnight  on  the  plaza.  But  the  rest- 
less and  aggressive  Anglo-Saxon,  with  his  intensely 
practical  civilization,  has  made  a  show  of  the  Alamo, 
put  trolley  roads  through  all  the  avenues,  built  new 
and  elegant  stone  banks  and  public  edifices  for 
municipal  and  government  offices,  and  established 
one  of  the  largest  and  best  appointed  military  posts 

19 


20  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

upon  the  continent.  In  a  few  years  the  Spanish 
and  Mexican  character  of  the  place  will  have  passed 
away,  and  American  railroad  and  business  enterprise 
will  have  changed  the  romantic  and  historic  town 
into  a  thriving  and  busy  modern  city.  At  present 
one  can  wander  through  the  old  missions,  and  think 
of  the  struggles  of  the  Jesuit  fathers,  hear  from  the 
guide  who  lived  through  the  epoch  the  story  of  how 
the  Alamo,  the  fortified  mission  of  the  Franciscan 
monks,  was  lost  and  won,  when  Davy  Crockett,  and 
Colonel  Bowie,  and  Colonel  Travis,  with  one  hundred 
and  forty-seven  other  heroes,  laid  down  their  lives 
in  the  old  church,  after  killing  and  wounding  in  their 
desperate  defence  more  than  six  times  their  own 
number;  and  easily  trace  the  progress  of  events 
which  made  the  Mexican  province  and  the  republic 
of  Texas  a  state  in  the  great  and  powerful  Federal 
Union.  The  best  historical  sketch  of  San  Antonio 
was  written  by  Sidney  Lanier  in  1872,  and  it  in- 
cludes in  its  finished  narrative  many  things  which 
had  never  been  grouped  before. 

San  Antonio  de  Bexar  was  founded  in  1712, 
and  four  years  later  the  Franciscan  fathers  began 
to  build  their  missions.  Controversies  with  the 
French,  who  owned  and  occupied  Louisiana,  con- 
tinued for  many  years,  but  the  Spanish  rule  was 
arbitrary  and  severe.  In  174-1  the  present  church 
of  the  Alamo  was  built,  and  the  colonists  and  mis- 
sionaries led  a  struggling  existence  for  nearly  half  a 
century  more.  Father  Marest  had  declared,  in  1712, 
that  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  was  "a  miracle  of 
the  Lord's  mercy,  and  that  it  was  necessary  first  to 


SAN   ANTONIO   DE   BEXAR  21 

transform  them  into  men,  and  afterward  to  labor  to 
make  them  Christians."  Massacres  and  experience 
of  bitter  cruelties  had  taught  them,  as  they  have 
taught  other  missionaries  since,  that  the  quality  of 
mercy  has  no  place  in  the  natural  heart  of  the  Amer- 
ican Indian. 

Years  of  warfare  between  Indians,  Spanish,  Mexi- 
cans, and  Americans  followed,  culminating  in  the 
massacre,  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  in  1836. 
Then  came  a  brief  period  of  independence,  and 
finally  the  annexation  of  Texas,  in  1845,  to  the 
United  States,  since  which  time  its  progress  has 
been  rapid  in  everything  which  makes  a  state  power- 
ful and  prosperous. 

San  Antonio  covers  a  large  territory.  The  busi- 
ness portion  is  closely  built  in  every  conceivable 
style  of  architecture.  An  elegant  bank  building  of 
carved  stone  adjoins  a  dilapidated  frame  structure, 
and  handsome  brick  stores  are  flanked  by  sheds  and 
shanties  or  houses  of  sun-dried  bricks.  The  main 
square,  on  which  stand  the  post-office,  the  Merger 
Hotel,  and  the  ruins  of  the  Alamo  Mission,  has  a 
small  park,  with  trees  and  flowers  in  its  centre ;  and 
the  square  upon  which  the  cathedral  and  the  munici- 
pal building  stand  is  broad  and  handsome ;  but  most 
of  the  business  streets  are  narrow,  ill  paved,  and 
pervaded  by  the  obnoxious  trolley.  The  residential 
quarters  occupy  broad  and  shaded  avenues,  where 
one  and  two  story  wooden  houses  stand  embowered 
in  fragrant  vines  and  trees,  with  an  air  of  comfort 
and  rural  quiet  strangely  contrasting  with  the  central 
district.   Here  the  rich  and  hospitable  inhabitants  live 


22  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

and  entertain  their  guests  in  the  midst  of  semi-tropi- 
cal delights,  for  the  climate  of  the  place  is  agreeable 
in  winter,  and  not  unhealthy  though  hot  in  summer. 
Upon  a  rolling  plateau  north  of  the  town  is  the 
Government  Post,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  United 
States,  containing,  however,  at  present,  only  about 
six  companies  of  troops,  several  thousand  of  the  men 
being  on  duty  along  the  Mexican  border.  There  are 
two  parade  grounds,  each  surrounded  by  extensive 
barracks  and  well-built  officers'  quarters,  and  a  fea- 
ture of  the  military  life  is  the  dress  parade  and  mili- 
tary drills  which  are  constantly  taking  place.  The 
new  post  occupies  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres, 
and  the  main  buildings  surround  a  quadrangle  six 
hundred  and  twenty-four  feet  square,  with  a  lofty 
tower  in  the  centre,  from  which  a  line  view  of  the 
town,  with  the  meandering  river  on  its  way  to  the 
Gulf,  is  obtained.  When  the  sun  Avas  westering,  we 
drove  to  the  hill  and  saw  the  troops  parade,  their  flag 
still  draped  in  black  in  token  of  respect  to  the  soldier 
President,  R.  B.  Haj-es,  then  recently  deceased.  It 
was  good  in  this  outpost  of  our  country  to  see  the 
discipline  and  drill  of  the  American  soldier,  and  to 
know  that  though  our  army  is  only  a  little  nucleus 
of  thoroughly  trained  men,  yet  it  represents  a  force 
of  millions  of  patriotic  citizens  which  could  be 
mobilized  for  defence  at  brief  notice, —  men  who  have 
the  courage,  the  capacity,  and  much  of  the  training 
which  combine  to  make  efficient  soldiers.  While 
the  memories  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  last,  there 
Avill  not  be  wanting  brave  and  able  defenders  of  the 
American  Union.  Many  distinguished  men  have 
held  command  and  served  at  San  Antonio,  whose 


SAN   ANTONIO   DE   BEXAR  23 

lives  and  doings  form  a  part  of  history  larger  than 
the  department.  They  have  worn  the  blue  and  the 
gray  uniform,  but  their  devotion  to  military  duty, 
whether  on  the  field  of  battle  in  the  gaze  of  thou- 
sands, or  grappling  with  a  redskin  in  the  mesquite 
wilderness,  none  may  question.  They  have  guarded 
our  Southern  frontier,  and  aided  by  a  gallant  popula- 
tion have  settled  the  Indian  question  in  Texas.  San 
Antonio  in  the  past  has  had  a  rough  and  bloody 
record;  it  seems  now  to  have  entered  upon  the  pip- 
ing times  of  peace,  and  an  era  of  prosperity  which 
its  struggles  and  effort  well  deserve. 

There  are  many  places  about  the  town  which  will 
interest  the  tourist.  We  drove  two  miles  or  more 
along  a  pleasant  road,  between  market  gardens  fed 
with  water  by  a  long  aeequia,  to  the  Mission  of  the 
Concepcion.  The  old  church,  with  its  quaint  gray 
towers  and  high-walled  dome  in  the  rear,  is  a  very 
respectable  ruin,  with  many  of  its  frescoes  still  visi- 
ble, and  its  corridors  and  windows  yet  remaining, 
and  abundantly  supplied  with  the  thorny  cactus  as 
a  hindrance  to  the  artist  and  the  relic  hunter.  Fur- 
ther down  the  river  a  couple  of  miles,  is  the  Mission 
of  San  Jose"  de  Aguayo.  These  buildings  are  in 
good  repair,  and  regular  services  are  held  here,  while 
six  miles  further  on  is  the  San  Juan  Mission,  now 
little  more  than  a  heap  of  ruins.  Resting  in  these 
ruined  buildings,  one  can  dream  of  the  conquests  of 
Spain  in  the  New  World,  and  reflect  upon  the  won- 
derful Providence  which  has  brought  so  many  of 
these  strongholds  of  superstition  under  the  powerful 
influence  of  a  purer  faith. 


V 
ALONG   THE   RIO   GRANDE 

WILD       AND       PICTURESQUE       SCENERY THE      TOWN      OF 

LANGTRY A  ONE-MAN   GOVERNMENT DESERT  VIEWS 

MARATHON    AND    ITS    GREEKS TIME    AT    EL    PASO 

Four  miles  west  of  Del  Rio,  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad,  the  tourist  catches  the  first  glimpse 
of  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  and  three  miles  farther 
on  is  the  beginning  of  the  Grand  Canon,  on  the  bank 
of  the  romantic  river  which  geographically  sepa- 
rates Mexico  and  the  United  States.  Wild  gorges 
between  huge  piles  of  limestone  rocks,  deep  valleys 
intersecting  one  another,  queer  conical  hills  and  vast 
amphitheatres  succeed  each  other,  and  far  below  the 
winding  railroad  track,  the  yellow  waters  of  the 
river  combine  to  form  pictures  of  beauty  and  gran- 
deur which  offer  great  attractions  to  the  traveller.  In 
one  of  the  wildest  portions  of  the  route,  the  train 
halts  to  allow  the  passengers  to  climb  into  the 
"painted  cave,"  where  curious  deposits  of  limestone, 
shells,  and  fossils,  and  flints  abound,  where  I  gath- 
ered delicate  maidenhair  ferns  and  flowers,  and  from 
which  the  view  is  superb.  The  cave  is  not  a  hole 
in  the  ground,  but  a  concavity  in  the  mountain  side, 
from  which  one  looks  across  the  chasm  where  the 

24 


ALONG   THE   RIO    GRANDE  25 

river  runs,  and  into  a  vast  circular  amphitheatre  in 
the  distance,  directly  in  front  of  the  cave  and  scooped 
out  of  the  surrounding  mountains.  Seated  in  this 
concave  one  could  imagine  the  performance  by  giants 
and  genii  of  some  colossal  dramatic  spectacle,  or 
grander  yet,  the  assembly  of  a  nation  as  at  Sinai  to 
hear  the  solemn  announcement  of  the  law  of  God. 
The  air  was  pure  and  dry,  and  the  voice  could  be 
heard  for  a  long  distance,  but  no  human  assembly  of 
which  there  is  any  record  has  ever  been  gathered 
here.  The  East  with  its  holy  places  will  ever  be 
the  goal  of  the  cultivated  and  reverential  student, 
while  the  natural  wonders  of  the  Western  Continent 
will  inspire  the  imagination  and  delight  the  senses 
of  the  sentimental  and  enthusiastic  traveller.  Be- 
yond this  cave  the  mouth  of  the  Devil's  River  is 
reached,  and  over  a  fine  iron  bridge  of  five  spans  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  each  the  railway  crosses, 
and  continues  to  climb  along  the  mountain  and  river 
side. 

For  a  considerable  distance  the  road  maintains  a 
lofty  elevation  on  the  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  the 
soil  being  dry  and  unfertile,  till  the  town  of  Langtry 
is  reached.  This  town  consists  of  one  shanty,  over 
the  door  of  which  is  painted  "  Jersey  LiLy."  Within 
was  a  single  room,  with  a  rude  bar,  a  table  covered 
with  empty  whiskey  bottles,  a  pile  of  bone  "  chips  " 
for  poker-playing,  and  some  stray  playing-cards. 
Several  bottles  had  pieces  of  guttered  candles  stuck 
in  the  cork-hole,  and  there  was  an  odor  of  stale 
tobacco  about  the  room.  One  man  owns  this  town- 
ship,  and  is  mayor,  alderman,    and  chief  of  police 


26  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

all  in  one.  His  methods  of  civil  government,  if  they 
may  be  judged  by  what  lay  around  in  the  city  hall, 
are  not  very  different  from  those  of  larger  cities  with 
which  we  are  familiar. 

Most  of  the  towns  along  the  railroad  are  mere 
names  on  paper,  and  water-tank  stations.  At  San- 
derson, we  found  a  neat  and  good  store,  an  estab- 
lishment for  rearing  pug  dogs,  which  seemed  to  be 
thriving,  and  a  school  of  five  girls  and  one  boy  with 
a  sore  face.  All  were  very  dirty  and  slovenly,  and 
the  pale  and  hollow-eyed  teacher,  who  was  not  much 
cleaner  than  her  pupils,  excused  the  dirt  and  dis- 
order because  there  had  been  no  rain  for  five  months. 
Everything  was  dusty  and  dry,  and  there  were  no 
signs  of  water  except  at  the  railway  tank. 

Vast  circles  of  limestone  hills  were  covered  with 
clumps  of  dry  bushes  and  hundreds  of  dagger  plants, 
their  central  flowers  of  creamy  white  surrounded  by 
green  fronds  spiked  at  the  end;  and  in  some  valle}rs 
there  was  a  short,  fine  grass  plentifully  mixed  with 
manifold  and  beautiful  flowers.  The  sky  was  clear, 
the  air  warm  and  pure,  the  landscape  gray  and 
monotonous  in  the  extreme.  As  we  rode  along,  one 
plain  succeeded  another,  and  one  amphitheatre  of 
hills  opened  into  another;  sometimes  cattle  were 
browsing  where  there  was  seemingly  nothing  to  eat, 
but  the  cattle,  and  mules,  and  horses,  and  pigs  that 
we  saw  all  looked  fat  and  healthy.  Sometimes  we 
passed  hours  without  any  signs  of  life ;  no  birds  even 
hovered  over  the  desert  region.  Then,  suddenly, 
herds  of  cattle  would  appear,  and  these  almost 
always   indicated  the  presence  of  wells  or  pools  of 


ALONG  THE   RIO   GRANDE  27 

water.  At  one  place  there  was  a  small  menagerie ; 
a  bear,  a  Mexican  lion,  an  eagle,  and  a  coyote  were 
in  rough  cages ;  and  to  amuse  the  passengers  the 
bear  was  put  through  his  programme  of  tricks.  The 
road  continued  to  rise,  and  the  heavy  breathing  of 
the  engine  gave  proof  of  the  steepness  of  the  grade. 
We  passed  "  Longfellow  "  and  "  Emerson  "  without 
knowing  it,  but  at  "Marathon"  we  halted.  The 
inhabitants  looked  very  much  like  ancient  Greeks, 
both  in  respect  to  the  tawny  color  of  their  skin,  and 
the  number  of  weapons  which  they  carried,  but  we 
did  not  stay  to  hear  the  news  of  any  modern  Ther- 
mopylae. Still  climbing,  we  reached  the  highest 
point  on  the  Sunset  route,  at  Paisano,  a  point  about 
two  hundred  miles  east  of  El  Paso.  This  is  also 
the  highest  along  the  entire  route  between  New 
Orleans  and  San  Francisco,  being  5082  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  The  air  is  dry  and  rarefied  at 
this  place,  and  one's  breathing  was  perceptibly 
quickened.  At  Langtry  our  elevation  had  been 
1320  feet,  and  from  Paisano  we  went  down  to  a  level 
of  3713  feet,  on  which  the  town  of  El  Paso  is  built. 
The  Rio  Grande  is  seen  again  here,  and  can  be  crossed 
by  several  bridges,  but  it  is  already,  in  this  month 
of  March,  a  dwindling  and  rapidly  diying  stream. 
El  Paso  stands  at  the  junction  of  Texas,  Mexico, 
and  New  Mexico.  It  is  a  large  town  with  handsome 
public  buildings,  streets  of  shops,  and  many  fine- 
looking  churches.  It  stands  upon  an  extensive 
plain,  and  circles  of  mountains  appear  in  the  dis- 
tance. These  peaks  do  not  seem  to  belong  to  any 
main  chain,  but  are  huge,  disjointed  ridges  scattered 


28  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

all  over  the  country,  and  look  like  black  icebergs 
floating  in  a  light  gray  sea.  Their  outlines  are 
rough  and  jagged,  their  sides  are  serrated ;  at  sunset 
they  are  bathed  in  violet  light,  and  resemble  the 
mountains  of  Greece.  Sometimes  they  form  a  feat- 
ure in  the  desert  mirage,  and  seem  to  be  islands  in 
mid-ocean,  anon  grouped  and  connected  in  a  vast 
mountain  range,  like  the  ramparts  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Then  the  mists  will  melt  away,  and 
as  grim  sentinels  they  will  march  off,  each  to  his 
separate  station.  No  part  of  the  journey  across  the 
continent  can  compare,  for  variety  and  magic  of 
scenery,  with  these  sunsets  upon  the  desert  regions 
of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  The  atmosphere  is  so 
rare  and  clear,  the  effects  of  light  and  shade  are  so 
strange,  and  the  coloring  of  earth  and  vegetation,  of 
rock  and  sky,  is  so  peculiar,  that  the  general  effect 
is  picturesque,  and  at  the  same  time  entirely  unlike 
anything  to  be  seen  elsewhere.  El  Paso  is  the  place 
where  time  changes.  Mr.  Johnston  says  that  they 
used  to  have  at  El  Paso,  an  Eastern,  Western, 
Northern,  and  Southern  time,  a  mountain,  railroad, 
local,  Mexican,  and  mean  time ;  and  not  being  satis- 
fied with  these,  some  one  —  probably  of  Aztec  origin 
—  actually  proposed  having  a  sun  time.  "  They  had 
so  many  hands  on  the  town  clock  that  a  strike  seemed 
imminent  at  every  hour.  This  state  of  things  was 
confusing  to  strangers;  they  made  all  sorts  of  mis- 
takes. A  strange  traveller,  westbound,  went  to  bed 
one  night  at  9  p.m.  by  one  clock  and  got  up  at  6 
A.M.  by  another,  and  only  had  two  hours  to  rest. 
He    paid   his    bill    on    Eastern    time,    and    thereby 


ALONG  THE   RIO   GRANDE  29 

saved  his  dinner.  He  managed  to  catch  the  east  and 
westbound  trains  both  at  one  time,  and  finally  found 
himself  a  hundred  miles  south  in  Mexico,  and  it 
took  a  mathematician,  a  watchmaker,  and  an  old 
sailor  several  hours  to  straighten  him  out."  All 
this  is  changed  now.  The  time  is  moved  two  hours 
back  to  San  Francisco  time  when  going  west,  and 
two  hours  forward  to  New  Orleans  time  when  going 
east.  Of  course  the  time  is  arbitrary,  but  arbitrary 
measures  are  better  than  uncertainty,  and  in  the 
matter  of  time  it  is  of  great  importance  to  know  what 
to  expect. 


VI 
NEW    MEXICO   AND   ARIZONA 

THE    TOWN    OF    JUARES OVER     THE     BORDER CLIMATE 

AND     HEALTH INDIAN    VILLAGES SUNDAY    AT    TUC- 
SON  ITS    SCHOOLS   AND    UNIVERSITY 

Before  leaving  El  Paso,  we  crossed  the  Rio 
Grande  into  Mexico.  There  can  be  no  greater 
change  than  from  the  busy  American  town  in 
Texas,  with  its  railroad  activity  and  the  civili- 
zation of  the  nineteenth  century  making  itself  vis- 
ible everywhere,  to  the  mediaeval  Spanish,  Mexican, 
Indian  village  of  Juares,  which  lies  across  the 
river.  The  only  modern  thing  that  enters  the  vil- 
lage is  a  street-car  from  El  Paso,  and  this  is  drawn 
by  a  single  mule,  has  Spanish  lettering  on  its  sides, 
and  is  visited  on  every  trip  by  a  custom-house 
officer,  who  either  makes  a  profound  bow  or  invites 
the  passenger  to  go  with  him  to  the  court,  according 
to  his  temper  and  condition.  Two  youths  who 
offended  his  majesty  by  wearing  back  from  Juares  to 
El  Paso  gorgeously  trimmed  Mexican  sombreros, 
were  marched  off  to  the  justice,  and  paid  fifty-five 
per  cent  duty  for  their  fun,  while  a  venerable  old 
gentleman  whose  pockets  were  stuffed  with  Vera 
Cruz  cigars  received  only  a  polite  bow  and  a  free 

30 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    ARIZONA  31 

pass.  Once  in  Juares,  and  one  might  fancy  himself 
in  the  middle  of  Mexico,  or  even  in  some  parts  of 
old  Spain.  Black-haired,  tawny-skinned,  keen-eyed 
men,  with  leather  leggings,  and  gay  shawls  over 
their  shoulders,  and  broad-brimmed,  conical  straw 
and  felt  hats  on  their  heads,  lounged  under  the 
scanty  foliage  of  trees  that  seemed  dying  for  want  of 
water;  withered  beggars  danced  and  whined,  "For 
the  love  of  God  give  us  something;"  the  dust  was 
white  and  deep,  the  walls  were  whitewashed,  the 
houses  were  of  adobe,  —  sun-dried  bricks  a  foot 
square,  —  and  the  shops  were  little  coops  in  which 
the  tradesmen  sat  and  worked  or  bartered,  much  as 
they  do  to-day  in  Tangier  and  Fez,  or  as  they  used  to 
do  forty  years  ago  in  Cairo  and  Damascus.  There 
is  an  old  church,  with  a  tawdry  image  of  the  Virgin 
and  some  wretched  altar  trimmings,  built  a  couple 
of  hundred  years  ago,  which  contains  richly  carved 
roof-beams,  between  which  is  an  ingenious  network 
of  small  round  poles  arranged  in  a  neat  pattern. 
The  houses  are  all  of  adobe,  and  of  one  story.  This 
sun-dried  mud  makes  a  cool  and  dry  house,  and  if  it 
is  protected  from  water  at  the  foundation,  and  at  the 
top  b}-  a  projecting  roof,  it  is  an  excellent  structure, 
cool  at  midday  and  warm  at  midnight,  and  well  suited 
to  a  climate  where  rain  falls  rarely  and  never  for  a 
long  time. 

The  climate  of  El  Paso  is  not  unlike  that  of 
New  Mexico,  upon  whose  border-line  it  stands. 
The  rainfall  is  slight,  and  irrigation  is  needful 
in  order  to  raise  anything;  but  water  will  make 
any  part  of    this   desert   to   bud  and  blossom   and 


32  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

yield  abundantly.  The  railroads  have  made  the 
town  important;  for  here  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande 
comes  in,  and  the  International  line  enters  Mexico, 
while  the  Southern  Pacific  runs  through  from  New 
Orleans  to  San  Francisco.  Our  stay  was  pleasant, 
though  brief,  for  the  day  was  calm  and  warm,  and 
the  experiences  were  novel.  The  general  appear- 
ance of  the  place  is  uninviting.  As  a  health  resort, 
the  altitude  and  dryness  of  air  would  be  great  recom- 
mendations in  some  cases.  Upon  the  other  hand, 
when  the  wind  blows,  the  fine  dust  and  sand  whirl 
about  in  clouds  and  penetrate  everywhere  through 
crack  and  crevice.  There  is  a  variety  of  churches, 
all  well  built,  and  the  place  has  an  air  of  active  and 
healthy  business. 

We  cut  across  a  corner  of  New  Mexico  in  pursuing 
our  route.  The  territory  has  high  mountain  ranges, 
among  which  lie  fertile  valleys  and  lofty  table-lands. 
The  climate  is  dry,  the  rainfall  slight,  and  in  order 
to  successful  agriculture,  the  land  must  be  plentifully 
irrigated.  There  are  many  mining  industries  here, 
and  ranches  for  stock-raising.  Cliff  dwellings  are 
found  in  some  of  the  narrow  valleys.  They  are 
stone  structures  lodged  upon  a  shelf  of  rock,  with 
an  entrance  from  the  top,  and  served  as  places  of 
defence,  as  well  as  dwellings. 

The  Pueblo  Indian  villages  are  built  of  a  number 
of  adobe  houses  grouped  together.  The  first  story 
has  no  openings  except  loop-holes.  The  second  story 
is  reached  by  ladders,  which  can  be  drawn  up  on  to 
the  terrace.  Sometimes  two  or  more  stories  are 
arranged  in  this  way,  and  it  was  probably  both  for 


NEW   MEXICO    AND   ARIZONA  33 

protection  and  to  carry  out  the  communistic  ideas  of 
these  Indians  that  this    construction  was    adopted. 
Coronado,  three  hundred  years  ago,  reported  rinding 
in  New  Mexico  "very excellent,  good  houses  of  three 
or  four,  or  five  lots  high,  wherein  are  good  lodgings 
and  high   chambers  with  ladders  instead  of  chairs, 
and    certain    cellars    underground    very   good    and 
paved  " ;  and  the  style  of  architecture  has  not  changed 
since  his  time.     A  warm  Sunday  morning  in  March 
found  us  at  Tucson  (which  is  pronounced  Too$6>i). 
The  power  of  the  sun  made  the  shade  of  cottonwood 
trees  grateful,  even  before    breakfast,  and    by  noon 
the  whole  region  glowed  with  dry  heat  like  a  furnace. 
We  found  a  cool  place  where  the  Sunday-school  of 
the  Congregational  church  was  waiting  for  the  teach- 
ers to  come,  and  when  the  doors  were  opened,  went 
in  and  joined  in  the  service.     From  this  religious 
assembly  we  drove  over  to  the  Indian  school,  and 
had  a  pleasant  interview  with    the    managers    and 
teachers,  of  which  we  shall  speak  later.     Tucson  is 
a   favorite    resort    for    persons    afflicted   with    lung 
troubles,    but   too   stimulating  for   the    majority  of 
nervous  invalids.       The  air  is  excessively  dry  and 
warm,    being  surrounded  by  hundreds   of    miles  of 
uninhabited  deserts   and  mountains,    no  snow  ever 
falls,    and  the    average    number   of   days  on  which 
rain  has  fallen   for  a  period  of  ten  years  is   forty- 
two  per  year.      One-half  of  these  days  were  in  mid- 
summer, and  the  amount  of  rain  was  always  small. 
The  town  lies  twenty-five  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea-level,    and   the    mountain  scenery  is  grand  and 
interesting,  including  lofty  heights  and  deep  canons. 


34  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

The  game  is  not  gone  from  this  wild  region.  Quail 
and  duck  and  deer  are  abundant  in  season,  and 
there  are  wild  animals  within  fifteen  or  twenty  miles 
of  the  town.  There  is  an  old  mission  of  San  Xavier 
Del  Bac  about  ten  miles  away,  and  it  is  not  a 
ruin  like  most  of  these  Spanish  establishments. 
The  successors  of  the  old  Padres  still  live  there, 
and  conduct  services  for  their  dwindling  Mexi- 
can and  Indian  flock.  The  houses  of  the  town 
are  chiefly  built  of  sun-dried  brick,  whitewashed 
upon  the  outside.  A  few  are  of  red-burned  brick, 
including  most  of  the  public  buildings.  The  gen- 
eral appearance  of  the  place  is  Mexican:  the  women 
wear  the  mantilla,  and  there  are  Indians  with  long, 
coarse  black  hair,  often  braided  in  tails  or  queues, 
and  offering  pottery  and  baskets  for  sale.  These 
baskets  are  braided  of  willow  and  straw,  and  are  so 
firm  and  close  that  water  can  be  carried  in  them. 
For  a  sufferer  from  invalid  lungs,  there  is  no  better 
place  than  this  Arizona  town.  It  is  hot  and  dusty, 
the  surrounding  scenery  is  barren,  and  the  advan- 
tages of  society  and  culture  are  few;  but  there  are 
Protestant  churches  and  good  schools,  a  conservatory 
of  music,  the  Territorial  University,  and  School  of 
Mines,  and  many  things  to  induce  literary  and  benev- 
olent effort.  Persons  of  robust  health,  or  those 
suffering  from  neuralgia,  had  better  seek  another 
home,  and  in  our  great  country,  with  its  varied 
climates  and  productions,  there  is  a  place  for  all 
sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 


VII 
ONE   OF   OUR   INDIAN   SCHOOLS 

A   PRESBYTERIAN   CONTRACT  GOOD   TEACHERS  THE 

CORRECT  IDEA  OF  INDIAN  EDUCATION  —  REPORTS  FROM 
THE  GOVERNMENT  SUPERINTENDENT 

We  spent  a  Sunday  at  Tucson,  in  Arizona,  and 
accepted  a  polite  invitation  to  visit  the  Indian  Train- 
ing School  at  that  place.  The  buildings  stand  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  town,  and  consist  of  a  girls,' 
home,  a  boys'  home,  a  carpenter  shop,  laundry,  and 
hospital.  These  have  cost  about  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  and  have  been  built  by  the  Woman's  Exec- 
utive Committee  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  Rev.  Howard  Bill- 
man  has  been  for  five  years  the  superintendent,  and 
under  his  direction  all  the  buildings,  except  the 
girls'  home,  were  built.  He  is  assisted  by  his  wife, 
who  was  matron  for  one  year,  and  she  now  largely 
performs  her  husband's  duties.  Miss  Pierson,  of 
Philadelphia,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Arthur  T.  Pierson, 
D.D.,  Miss  Ziegler,  of  Ohio,  and  Miss  Timian,  of 
New  York,  are  the  teachers  in  intellectual  work.  S.  P. 
Pearson,  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  directs  the  carpenter 
work.  The  work  on  all  of  the  buildings  except  the 
girls'   home  has  been  done   by  the  boys  under  his 

35 


36  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

supervision.  There  are  five  ladies  regularly  em- 
ployed as  instructors  and  officers  in  various  depart- 
ments of  the  household,  and  also  a  boys'  matron,  a 
farmer,  and  a  supervisor.  There  were  one  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  Indian  children  at  the  time  of  our 
visit,  of  whom  eighty  were  boys  and  fifty-eight  girls, 
and  fifty  of  these  were  over  fourteen  years  of  age. 
Last  year  there  was  an  average  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-two  pupils,  which  crowded  the  buildings  so 
that  cots  had  to  be  placed  in  the  school -rooms, 
and  even  now  the  school-rooms  have  to  be  used  as 
sitting-rooms.  The  Indians  are  Pimas,  Yumas,  and 
Papagoes,  all  quiet  and  peaceable  tribes ;  the  larger 
portion  are  from  the  last  tribe,  whose  reservation  is 
within  nine  miles  of  Tucson. 

k  This  school  is  a  "contract"  school.  In  the  estab- 
lishment of  these  schools,  articles  of  agreement  are 
entered  into  annually  by  the  Commissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs  and  the  officers  of  the  Missionary  Boards 
of  various  denominations.  The  government  binds 
itself  to  pay  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  for 
the  year,  for  each  Indian  child  who  is  housed,  fed, 
clothed,  and  taught  according  to  the  contract  speci- 
fications. The  government  has  the  right  to  inspect 
the  school,  and  to  annul  the  contract  if  the  board  or 
mission  fails  to  carry  out  its  provisions.  The  gov- 
ernment's aid  and  responsibility  stop  here.  Those 
who  establish  the  school  must  erect  its  buildings, 
provide  the  teachers,  obtain  the  land  for  cultivation, 
farming  implements,  shops,  tools,  etc.,  and  give 
training  in  the  school-room  on  five  days  and  indus- 
trial training  on  six  days  of  each  week,  during  ten 


ONE   OF   THE   INDIAN   SCHOOLS  37 

months  of  the  year.  They  have  entire  liberty  in  the 
management  of  the  school,  including  authority  to 
settle  the  amount  and  kind  of  religious  instruction 
which  shall  be  given.  The  superintendent  of  the 
Tucson  school  is  a  man  of  ideas  and  of  great  force 
of  character,  and  this  school  is  perhaps  an  excep- 
tional institution.  Certainly,  the  intelligence  and 
aptitude  displayed  by  the  pupils  would  warrant  the 
conclusion  that  they  have  been  well  taught.  Mr. 
Billman  aims  to  introduce  the  leaven  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  people  whose  children  are  educated  here 
—  not  a  Gospel  of  words,  but  a  Gospel  that  induces 
regeneration  of  heart  and  character  in  the  individual, 
which  makes  men  and  women  careful,  industrious, 
and  pure,  useful  members  of  the  family,  the  com- 
munity, and  the  state. 

Mr.  Billman  says:  "We  take  the  Indian  just  as 
he  is  —  uncleanly  often,  untaught,  indolent,  as  poor 
as  poverty  can  make  him,  and  without  backbone. 
It  is  possible  for  him  to  be  clean,  to  be  clothed,  and 
to  be  fed.  No  one  in  this  world  owes  him  anything 
whatever,  except  to  teach  him  how  he  can  be  a  man 
and  take  care  of  himself.  We  are  perfectly  willing 
to  expend  strength  of  hands,  and  brain,  and  heart, 
in  teaching  him.  We  are  not  willing  to  do  any- 
thing for  him  which  he  can  do  for  himself,  or  to  give 
him  anything  which  he  is  able  to  get  for  himself. 
We  believe  that  Indian  children  have  rights.  A 
command  placed  upon  them  is  not  simply  an  expres- 
sion of  the  teacher's  will,  but  an  expression  of  what 
is  right,  what  is  suitable.  They  are  carefully  treated 
and  nursed  in  sickness.     The  merchants  of  Tucson 


38  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

will  bear  witness  that  if  there  is  any  inferior  article 
of  food  delivered  for  their  consumption,  it  is  not 
done  with  the  knowledge  of  the  management  here. 
Bodily  comfort  is  carefully  considered  in  their  cloth- 
ing. Whatever  they  have  beyond  this,  they  are  at 
liberty  to  get  in  any  honorable  way  they  can. 

"The  whole  aim  of  our  work  is  thus  to  send  out  a 
company  of  clean,  industrious,  self-respecting,  self- 
reliant,  self-supporting,  and  righteous  Indians,  who 
will  till  their  lands,  build  homes  for  themselves, 
and  live  in  enjoyment  of  the  fruit  of  their  toil.  We 
shall  be  rejoiced  if  we  can  fit  a  few  of  the  whole 
number  to  become  teachers  and  evangelists ;  but  we 
are  no  longer  so  vain  as  to  hope  that  the  first  genera- 
tion can  be  sufficiently  educated  to  become  successful 
lawyers,  physicians,  and  ministers.  Coming  to  us 
as  children,  utterly  ignorant  of  our  language,  of  our 
history  and  civilization,  it  is  not  possible  in  the 
time  that  they  remain  in  school  to  give  them  an 
education  that  qualifies  them  for  such  callings.  If 
we  aim  to  send  out  a  generation  of  Indians  who  shall 
endeavor  to  compete  with  the  white  men  by  living 
by  its  wits  and  not  by  toil,  we  shall  be  grievously 
disappointed.  If  wre  turn  all  our  energy  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  industry,  manliness,  and  independence, 
we  may  not  realize  all  we  hope  for;  but  we  shall 
realize  enough  to  vindicate  the  wisdom  of  our 
methods." 

These  are  sensible  words,  and  Mr.  Billman's  ex- 
perience with  this  Indian  school,  where  industrial 
training  is  happily  combined  with  mental  culture, 
has  shown  the  wisdom  of  such  a  course  as  he  points 


ONE   OF    THE   INDIAN   SCHOOLS  39 

out.  Indians  who  are  taught  that  manual  labor  is 
the  lowest  form  of  human  work,  are  more  ready  than 
most  men  to  accept  the  teaching  and  avoid  the  work. 
They  soon  lose  the  knowledge  they  held  by  a  slight 
grasp,  relapse  into  indolence  and  uncleanliness,  and 
imitate  the  vices  of  civilization.  Those,  on  the 
contrary,  who  are  taught  habits  of  industry  and 
manual  labor,  become,  in  the  course  of  time,  useful 
and  happy  members  of  the  communities  where  they 
live.  Higher  education  may  serve  to  help  a  selected 
number  of  Indians,  as  of  other  races,  to  a  better  than 
the  common  lot,  but  it  still  remains  true  for  Indians, 
as  for  the  rest  of  mankind,  that  the  best  and  happiest 
condition  is  that  in  which  daily  toil  furnishes  occu- 
pation for  mind  and  body,  and  the  means  of  liveli- 
hood. In  this  connection  it  is  gratifying  to  be  able 
to  quote  a  part  of  the  report  of  Rev.  Daniel  Dorches- 
ter, then  United  States  Superintendent  of  Indian 
Schools,  upon  the  Tucson  Indian  Training  School. 
Dr.  Dorchester  reports  as  follows :  — 

"Sax  Diego,  Cal.,  March  1,  1893. 

"  To  the  Hon.  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,   Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  : 

"Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  I  visited 
the  Presbyterian  Contract  Indian  School  at  Tucson, 
Arizona,  February  3d  and  4th.  The  school  is  under 
the  superintendency  of  Rev.  Howard  Billman,  who 
is  now  suffering  from  painful  nervous  prostration, 
the  result  of  excessive .  labors  in  that  enervating 
climate.     Mr.  Billman  lias  had  charo-e  of  the  school 


40  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

from  the  beginning,  or  for  about  five  years,  and  I 
regard  it  as  one  of  the  very  best  and  most  successful 
of  the  Indian  contract  schools.  It  has  grown  and 
improved  much  since  my  visit  in  March,  1890.  From 
the  beginning,  the  superintendent  has  been  very 
fortunate  in  obtaining  pupils.  He  has  never  been 
under  the  necessity  of  calling  upon  the  Indian 
agent,  the  Indian  police,  or  the  district  supervisor 
to  bring  children  to  his  school.  He  has  had  more 
applications  every  year  than  he  could  accommodate 
—  at  the  beginning  of  one  year  turning  away  more 
than  fifty.  The  school  buildings  have  been  enlarged, 
doubling  the  accommodations  of  three  years  ago,  and 
still  applicants  are  turned  away. 

"  The  Tucson  school  has  several  advantages.  It 
is  quite  near  the  homes  of  the  Papagoes,  their  reser- 
vation being  only  nine  miles  away;  and  large  num- 
bers of  the  Papagoes  are  scattered  in  the  regions 
adjacent  and  beyond  the  reservation.  Tucson  is  the 
market  where  they  trade,  and  they  can  conveniently 
see  their  children.  This  is  a  great  point  with  Indi- 
ans. The  Indians  have  unbounded  faith  in  Super- 
intendent Billman.  He  is  a  wise  and  careful  man, 
and  has  always  been  particular  to  fulfil  his  promises, 
gives  the  Indians  good  counsel,  and  helps  them  in 
many  practical  ways.  Notwithstanding  the  Papa- 
goes are  Roman  Catholics,  and  Mr.  Billman  is  a 
Presbyterian,  there  has  been  no  trouble  between  them 
over  religious  matters,  but  a  strong  mutual  confi- 
dence. The  school  is  very  attractive,  and  its  attrac- 
tion is  chiefly  in  the  spirit  orf  the  superintendent  and 
the    employes — a    kindly,    wholesome    atmosphere. 


ONE   OF   THE    INDIAN   SCHOOLS  41 

Some  schools  have  more  spectacular  exercises,  but 
this  school  attracts  by  its  genuine  Christian,  intel- 
ligent, and  kindly  influence.  Even  discipline  is 
administered  in  such  a  way  as  to  strengthen  the 
hold  on  the  pupils. 

"  This  school,  from  the  beginning,  has  had  a  good 
class  of  teachers,  among  them  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
A.  T.  Pierson.  Miss  Pierson  is  particularly  suc- 
cessful in  object  lesson  methods,  and  possesses  rare 
tact.  Two  of  the  present  teachers  are  new  in  their 
places,  and  after  more  experience  with  Indian  chil- 
dren, will  probably  succeed.  But  few  of  the  pupils 
are  very  far  advanced.  Of  the  more  advanced  pupils 
now  in  the  school,  most  of  them  are  not  beyond  divi- 
sion in  arithmetic,  though  a  few  are  in  fractions ; 
and  some  of  them  are  studying  'Cornell's  Interme- 
diate Geography. ' 

"It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  industries  are 
exceptionally  prominent  at  this  school.  All  the 
buildings,  save  the  one  first  erected,  were  made  by 
the  boys,  aided  by  the  carpenters.  The}*  are  nearly 
all  of  adobe,  but  much  better  than  the  common  Mexi- 
can adobe  buildings,  well  ceiled,  with  roofing  of 
lumber,  and  abounding  in  conveniences,  such  as  we 
are  accustomed  to  find  in  our  older  communities. 
Seven  boys  work  regularly  for  one-half  day  in  the 
carpenter's  shop,  others  mend  shoes,  others  do  turn- 
ing, painting,  glazing,  pipe-laying,  and  general 
repairing.  About  thirty  boys  work  on  the  farm  from 
three  to  four  and  a  half  hours  each  day;  others  cut 
wood. 

"  The  school  farm  consists  of  fort}*-t\vo  acres,  every 


42  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

rod  of  which  is  excellent  soil,  well  irrigated.  A 
good  variety  of  vegetables  is  raised  for  the  school, 
and  eighty  tons  of  wheat  and  barley  and  barley-hay 
were  raised  last  year,  which  brings  in  the  market  at 
this  place  twelve  dollars  per  ton. 

"Last  year  Mr.  Billman  hired  one  hundred  acres 
of  land  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  the  adult  Papa- 
goes  lessons  in  farming,  as  well  as  to  help  them  in 
self-support.  He  brought  in  ten  Papago  families 
from  the  desert,  and  put  them  into  small  temporary 
houses  near  the  leased  lands,  to  cultivate  them. 
Agent  Crouse  gave  some  ploughs,  and  Mr.  Billman 
bought  the  seed  and  some  harness,  which  latter  he 
loaned  to  the  Indians.  These  people  brought  their 
ponies  for  ploughing,  etc.  The  schoolboys  and 
farmers  were  sent  into  the  fields  to  work  with  and 
show  the  Indians.  *  To  illustrate  how  the  work 
should  be  done,  a  heavy  team  with  a  large  plough 
was  set  at  work,  and  the  smaller  Indian  teams  were 
kept  at  work  at  the  same  time.  In  the  early  part  of 
the  season,  while  the  Indians  were  ploughing,  sow- 
ing, etc.,  Mr.  Billman  supplied  them  with  subsist- 
ence, keeping  an  account  of  the  same.  In  due  time 
the  grain  was  cut  and  baled,  and  Mr.  Billman  mar- 
keted the  grain,  allowing  the  Indians  half  the  hay. 
After  paying  for  their  living  during  the  season,  each 
head  of  the  family  had  from  thirty  to  seventy  dollars 
left.  The  care  of  this  experiment,  in  addition  to  all 
his  other  labors,  was  too  exacting  for  Mr.  Billman, 
and  his  health  seriously  suffered,  on  account  of 
which  he  has  been  unable  to  repeat  the  experiment 
this  year. 


ONE   OF   THE   INDIAN   SCHOOLS  43 

"  There  is  an  excellent  hospital,  but  the  school  has 
few  patients  —  none  on  the  occasion  of  my  visit  — 
and  there  is  only  about  one  death  each  year." 

Mrs.  Dorchester  makes  an  additional  report,  giving 
discriminating  details  of  the  girls'  departments, 
which  are  of  equal  interest.  With  such  schools  and 
teachers,  the  Indian  problem  will  gradually  be  solved. 


VIII 
THROUGH   THE   DESERT   TO   PARADISE 

CACTI THE  COLORADO    RIVER YUMA     AND     THE     INDI- 
ANS—  BELOW    THE    OCEAN — A    CALIFORNIA    RIDDLE 

The  territory  of  Arizona  is  the  southwestern  cor- 
ner of  the  United  States.  Its  western  boundary  is 
the  Colorado  River,  which  flows  with  a  large  volume 
of  water  through  Yuma  to  the  Gulf  of  California, 
and  is  one  of  the  great  rivers  of  America.  The  day 
had  been  hot  and  dusty,  and  our  journey,  though 
novel  and  interesting  at  first,  was  becoming  monot- 
onous. A  small  amount  of  desert  is  satisfying,  and 
our  specimen  had  been  very  large.  As  the  train 
wound  among  dreary  sand-hills,  only  to  emerge  upon 
drearier  plains  dotted  with  huge  cacti,  thorn-bushes, 
sage-brush,  and  mesquit  trees,  the  heat  became 
intense,  and  we  were  indeed  thankful  that  there  was 
no  wind  to  raise  sand-clouds,  since  even  the  motion 
of  the  train  enveloped  the  rear  cars  in  whirls  of  fine 
dust.  Far  away  to  the  west  were  purple  hills,  and 
around  us  mirage-haunted  plains. 

On  these  plains  and  hills  grow  all  kinds  of  cacti. 
There  are,  in  the  three  states  of  California,  Arizona, 
and  New  Mexico,  more  than  one  hundred  species  of 
cacti,  eight  of  yucca,  and  seven  of  agave.     Among 

44 


THROUGH   THE   DESERT   TO   PARADISE  45 

these,  the  most  wonderful  is  the  giant  cactus,  whose 
green  fluted  columns,  with  grotesque  arms  and 
thorny  ridges,  may  be  seen  upon  the  high  plains  and 
hills  of  the  Arizona  and  California  deserts.  They 
are  huge,  misshapen  growths,  deformities  of  nature, 
without  a  single  redeeming  feature,  yet  they  are  not 
without  use  to  man.  Though  growing  in  a  dry  and 
thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is,  they  secrete  a  liquid 
which  is  a  fair  substitute  for  the  precious  treasure, 
and  their  thorns  contain  a  resin  of  which  the  Indians 
make  torches.  At  this  season  (the  early  spring)  a 
beautiful  pear-shaped  and  cream-colored  flower  grows 
out  among  the  thorny  spikes,  and  later  on  fruit 
ripens.  This  is  edible  for  men,  and  is  chiefly  eaten 
by  birds.  The  "yuccas  "  are  seen  from  San  Antonio 
to  the  Pacific.  They  are  variously  named,  the 
"Roman  candle,"  the  "Spanish  bayonet,"  the 
"Whipplei,"  and  the  "dagger  plant"  being  some 
of  the  names  given  to  this  ornamental  and  magnifi- 
cent production.  It  grows  on  the  dry  and  sandy 
soil,  and  often  seems  to  spring  directly  from  a  rock. 
Its  leaves  are  green  reeds,  sharp  and  thin,  from  two 
to  three  feet  long,  and  they  spread  out  in  every 
direction  around  the  stalk.  This  grows  to  the  height 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  and  is  as  large  as  a  small 
tree  at  the  base  and  grows  to  a  point.  At  about  half 
its  height  from  the  ground,  little  twigs  begin  to  put 
out,  and  upon  these  are  hung  with  divine  art  multi- 
tudes of  little  bell-shaped  flowers.  There  are  some- 
times more  than  a  thousand  of  these  delicate  bells 
upon  a  single  stem.  In  color,  shape,  and  odor,  the 
flower  resembles  the  tuberose,  and  the  effect  of  these 


46  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

lovely  white  yuccas,  rising  on  their  tall  and  taper- 
ing stalk,  from  warlike  nests  of  dagger-leaves,  by 
hundreds  on  the  desert  hills  and  plains,  is  weird  and 
beautiful  by  day  or  in  the  evening. 

The  agave,  or  American  aloe,  is  known  to  us  as 
the  "century  plant,"  but  in  warm  climates  there  is 
no  foundation  for  such  a  name.  Its  roots  and  leaves 
furnish,  by  distillation,  a  variety  of  strong  liquors ; 
its  thorns  are  needles  and  pins,  and  its  fibre  is  good 
for  firewood  or  paper-making.  The  Mexicans  make 
a  popular  drink  called  'pulque  by  scooping  out  the 
bud  and  leaving  a  natural  bowl  for  the  sap  to  flow 
into.  This  liquid,  which  flows  to  the  amount  of  a 
gallon  or  more  daily,  is  placed  in  vats  and  fermented. 
Thus,  instead  of  nourishing  the  beautiful  flower  which 
blooms  but  for  a  brief  season,  the  life-blood  of  the 
plant  intoxicates  and  stupefies  Mexican  drunkards. 
To  such  base  uses  are  God's  choicest  gifts  applied ! 

All  sorts  of  cacti  grow  in  profusion  on  these  plains 
and  mountains.  Sometimes  the  plain  is  covered  with 
their  ugly  bristles  and  thorns,  among  which  multi- 
tudes of  yellow  and  scarlet  and  crimson  and  red 
flowers  are  sprinkled  —  beautiful  gems  of  color  pro- 
tected by  ten  thousand  poisoned  spears.  Every  part 
of  the  earth  is  full  of  the  wonderful  works  of  the 
Creator,  and  even  the  barren  desert  declares  in 
mighty  and  awful  tones  his  great  name. 

From  the  midst  of  the  Arizona  desert  we  came 
direct  to  Yuma,  and  then  went  down  into  the  Cali- 
fornia desert.  But  Yuma  is  a  wonderful  place,  for 
here  the  Colorado  River,  after  its  junction  with  the 
Gila,  comes  pouring  an  immense  flood  towards  the 


THROUGH    THE   DESERT   TO   PARADISE  47 

Gulf  of  California.  The  San  Jacinto  range  of  moun- 
tains rises,  six  miles  distant,  to  the  height  of  ten 
thousand  feet,  full  of  wild  and  rocky  ravines,  and  its 
serrated  sides  bear  testimony  to  the  floods  which 
pour  down  to  swell  the  Colorado  in  the  rainy  season. 
Vegetation  watered  by  this  great  river  is  rich  and 
abundant  here.  The  climate  is  reported  as  without 
fault.  The  clear,  bracing  air  of  the  timbered  moun- 
tains tempers  the  air  of  the  valle}r,  the  mighty  river 
cools  and  freshens  it,  the  canon  of  giant  palms  and 
tropical  verdure  is  close  at  hand,  and  the  breezes  of 
the  gulf,  dried  by  their  passage  over  the  desert,  give 
refreshment  without  dampness. 

The  Colorado  River  rises  in  the  territory  of  Wyom- 
ing, on  the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
It  gathers  the  streams  of  Wyoming,  Colorado,  Utah, 
New  Mexico,  and  Arizona.  It  flows  across  arid 
table-lands,  and  through  porous  soils  which  evapo- 
rate and  absorb  its  waters,  but  it  nevertheless  is  a 
large  and  impressive  stream  as  it  sweeps  past  Yuma 
to  find  its  outlet  in  the  Gulf  of  California.  Plans 
have  been  formed  to  make  Yuma  a  great  town,  with 
water,  and  light,  and  electric  cars,  and  a  huge  hotel. 
The  surrounding  country  can  be  made  fertile  by  irri- 
gation. Oranges,  lemons,  figs,  dates,  grapes,  and 
pomegranates  will  all  grow  here,  and  ripen  a  month 
earlier  than  in  Southern  California.  The  Yuma 
Indians  are  peaceable,  but  unprogressive  and  indo- 
lent. They  hold  a  large  territory  of  fine,  unim- 
proved land  along  the  Colorado,  which  will  doubtless 
become  the  property  of  whit  iettlers  by  easy  pur- 
chase, for  a  kind  of  paralysis   seems   to  rest  upon 


48  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

these  Indian  tribes  which  prevents  them  from  using 
the  opportunities  for  advancement  which  the  United 
States  government  now  offers  to  them.  Compulsory 
civilization  and  education  do  not  suit  the  Indian 
nature,  and.  the  result  of  the  settlement  of  this  con- 
tinent lyy  white  men  has  been  disastrous  to  the 
aborigines-.  They  have  been  abused,  and  robbed, 
and  destroyed  in  the  name  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity, though  they  were  not  a  weak,  an  unintelli- 
gent, or  an  ignorant  race.  Their  own  acts  have 
hastened  their  decline,  but  the  chief  responsibility 
for  their  fate  rests  upon  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  or,  to  put  it  more  plainly  and  person- 
ally, upon  the  American  people  who  have  taken  their 
lands,  their  game,  and  their  lives.  Some  tardy 
amends  are  being  attempted  among  certain  tribes, 
but  the  waves  of  Anglo-Saxon  civilization  will  in 
another  generation  engulf  and  sweep  away  all  rem- 
nants of  aboriginal  nationality. 

From  Yuma  we  descend  into  what  was  once  the 
bed  of  the  sea.  Great  heaps  of  sea  sand  shine  in  the 
sunlight,  and  are  swept  by  the  winds  hither  and 
thither.  There  seems  little  reason  to  doubt  that  the 
ocean  was  once  here,  for  there  are  great  bodies  of  salt 
now  profitably  mined  near  Salton,  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad.  From  Cactus,  near  Yuma,  which 
is  three  hundred  and  ninety-five  feet  above  the  sea, 
the  road  descends  till  it  is  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  feet  below  the  sea.  A  place  called  Flowing 
Wells  is  five  feet  above  the  sea,  then  the  traveller 
comes  to  the  margin  of  an  inland  sea,  or  an  ocean 
beach,  and  for  sixty  miles  travels  much  farther  be- 


THROUGH   THE   DESERT   TO   PARADISE  49 

low  the  ocean-level  than  at  any  point  in  the  low 
countries  of  Europe.  It  is  thought  that  parts  of 
this  salt  desert  may  be  reclaimed  by  irrigation,  but 
no  attempts  have  been  made  upon  a  sufficiently  ex- 
tensive scale  to  test  the  matter. 

We  went  to  sleep  in  the  dry  desert;  when  we 
woke,  a  hard  rain  was  pelting  upon  the  roof  of  the 
car,  and  on  looking  out  of  the  window,  a  scene  of 
green  and  gold,  washed  by  a  downpour  worthy  of 
the  Atlantic  coast,  burst  upon  our  astonished  vision. 
We  were  in  California,  in  the  midst  of  the  wonder- 
ful orange  groves  of  Riverside,  which  have  no  equal 
in  the  world.  Piles  of  oranges  lay  on  the  ground  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  see  through  the  vistas  of  the  or- 
chards. The  trees  were  laden  with  the  golden  fruit. 
Huge  eucalyptus  trees  in  full  and  fragrant  flower, 
palms  of  all  sorts,  vegetation  rank  and  rich  and 
green,  and  all  the  more  impressive  from  the  desert 
dream  from  which  we  woke  to  this  wonderful  reality, 
was  all  about  us.  This  is  California,  the  land  of 
gold,  the  paradise  of  climates,  the  home  of  health, 
the  retreat  for  the  aged  who  would  live  forever,  and 
for  the  invalid  who  dreads  to  die.  And  it  is  rain- 
ing as  if  another  flood  were  coming,  and  is  cold 
enough  to  chill  a  salamander.  Let  us  investigate. 
I  put  on  goloshes  and  a  heavy  mackintosh,  and  with 
a  big  umbrella  launched  into  the  deep  mud  of  my 
first  California  town.  It  grew  wetter  and  wetter, 
muddier  and  muddier,  and  more  beautiful  every  step 
that  I  advanced.  I  walked  an  hour  amid  scenes  of 
tropical  loveliness,  flowers,  trees,  fruits ;  and  came 
back  to  the  car  as  wet  and  cold  as  if  I  had  been  at 
Coney  Island  in  a  March  northeaster. 


IX 

IN   CALIFORNIA 

CLIMATE  AND  WEATHER VARIED  PRODUCTIONS IN- 
HABITANTS  RIVERSIDE  AND  ITS  ORANGES HORTI- 
CULTURE   AND    ITS    RESULTS 

In  order  to  write  truthfully  and  intelligently  of 
California,  special  regard  must  be  had  to  its  vary- 
ing climate  and  unique  situation.  There  is  a  rainy 
season  and  a  dry  season ;  daytime,  when  the  sun  is 
hot,  and  there  is  little  wind  from  sunrise  to  ten  or 
eleven  o'clock;  afternoon,  when  the  wind  comes  up 
and  blows  till  near  sundown ;  then  the  night  comes, 
usually  still,  and  always  cold.  The  only  feature  of 
weather  that  can  be  always  relied  upon,  so  far  as  I 
have  been  able  to  ascertain,  is  the  cool  nights.  The 
day  may  be  warm,  windy,  variable,  or  unchanged  in 
temperature  and  quality;  the  night  will  always  be 
cold.  It  may  be  dry  enough  to  sleep  in  the  open  air, 
but  it  will  be  cold  enough  to  require  several  blank- 
ets. Such  curious  conditions  of  climate,  where 
winter  is  warmer  than  summer,  and  where  dense 
clouds  do  not  imply  that  rain  is  coming,  where  the 
cold  of  the  night  more  than  averages  the  heat  of  da}r, 
where  some  vegetation  grows  continuously  the  year 
through,  and  other  sorts  pass   through  a  period   of 

50 


*.->•  v 


IN   CALIFORNIA  51 

growth,  decline,  and  rest,  entirely  confuse  the  steady- 
going  observer  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  who  is  accus- 
tomed to  the  four  seasons, —  spring,  summer,  autumn, 
and  winter.  A  resident  of  Santa  Barbara  remarked 
to  me,  that  "the  usual  variation  of  temperature  be- 
tween midnight  and  noon  was  greater  than  between 
winter  and  summer";  another  one  said,  "When  I 
go  out  to  make  a  call  on  a  July  afternoon,  I  always 
wear  my  heav}'  overcoat."  A  friend  who  has  been 
here  for  a  year  told  me  that  he  was  obliged  to  go  in 
his  shirt-sleeves  for  comfort  in  December  and  Janu- 
ary during  the  day,  and  that  a  fur  wrap  was  not 
uncomfortable  when  riding  in  the  evening. 

It  is  evident  from  such  statements  that  California 
has  a  climate  of  its  own,  and  cannot  properly  be  de- 
scribed as  the  Italy  of  America,  nor  its  coast  com- 
pared in  its  climatic  conditions  with  the  Riviera, 
with  Malaga  and  Southern  Spain,  or  with  Sicily. 
It  is  a  country  by  itself,  lying  between  the  vast 
watery  mass  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  lofty  ranges 
of  mountains,  whose  summits  are  snow-clad  for  a 
large  portion  of  the  year.  This  comparatively 
narrow  region,  which  forms  the  state,  has  every 
variety  of  altitude,  from  the  moors  which  skirt  the 
seacoast,  to  the  lovely  little  table-lands  hidden  far 
up  in  the  canons  among  the  mountains.  It  has  roll- 
ing hills  and  broad  levels,  forests  of  liveoaks  and 
sycamores,  and  plains  devoted  to  orchards  and  vine- 
yards, to  barley  fields  and  gardens.  It  has  rivers 
like  those  of  Sicily  and  Spain,  with  dry  beds,  except 
when  rain-storms  come,  which  then  become  rushing 
torrents  with  an  immense  volume  of  water  that  over- 


52  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

flow  land  and  sweep  everything  before  them  in  their 
resistless  course.  It  has  winds  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean  and  from  the  snow-clad  peaks  which  divide 
the  continent,  and  one  can  no  more  predict  when 
they  will  blow,  nor  how  long  they  will  continue, 
than  Nicodemus  could  tell  whence  the  wind  cometh 
and  whither  it  goeth.  It  has  not  the  climate,  the 
characteristics,  nor  the  soil  of  any  other  country  as 
a  specialty,  but  it  is  peculiar  and  unique  in  all  these 
respects.  But  one  can  find  in  different  parts  of  this 
large  state,  resemblances  to  man}T  different  regions, 
and  the  productions  of  nearly  all.  Wheat  as  fine  as 
that  of  Minnesota  grows  here,  and  figs  as  delicious 
as  those  of  the  south  of  France.  Asparagus  and  arti- 
chokes, oysters  and  shad,  apples,  peaches,  and  oranges, 
potatoes  and  pomegranates,  beans  and  bananas,  are 
natives  in  California.  There  is  no  better  beef  and 
mutton  in  the  world,  and  California  horses,  mules, 
and  asses  are  unsurpassed.  Every  kind  of  wood, 
from  the  easily  worked  redwood  to  the  tough  live- 
oak,  grows  in  the  state,  though  a  large  portion  of 
its  area  is  destitute  of  trees,  and  building  materials 
of  stone  and  brick  are  abundant. 

The  state  has  a  heterogeneous  population  composed 
of  a  large  proportion  of  Americans,  children  of  early 
settlers,  and  emigrants  from  the  East,  mingled  with 
Indians,  Mexicans,  and  Chinese;  and  colonies  of 
Danes,  Spaniards,  Portuguese,  and  Canadians,  who 
often  live  in  isolated  communities,  continuing  their 
own  customs,  language,  and  religious  habits  and 
associations.  It  is  not  possible  for  a  traveller  to 
judge  how  far  such  conditions  have  influenced  the 


IN   CALIFORNIA  53 

growth  and  development  of  the  state,  but  he  can 
understand  the  influences  which  have  been  most 
potent  in  certain  towns  and  districts,  and  the  advan- 
tages which  have  accrued  to  some  sections  on  account 
of  the  character  of  its  settlement. 

Our  entrance  to  the  state  was  at  the  town  of 
Riverside,  and  though  the  day  was  cold,  and  the 
rain  fell  in  torrents,  it  was  impossible  not  to  recog- 
nize the  region  as  one  of  the  most  rich  and  abundant 
orange-growing  parts  of  the  state.  The  crop  was 
ripening  fast,  and  heaps  of  the  golden  fruit  lajr  in  the 
orchards,  while  the  trees  seemed  still  to  have  heavier 
loads  than  the  branches  could  sustain.  The  fruit 
grown  here  commands  a  high  price,  and  is  of  fine 
size  and  quality. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  time  when,  coming  from 
the  African  desert  by  way  of  El  Arish,  the  caravan 
reached  Jaffa  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  wound 
through  narrow  streets  lined  with  huge  baskets  piled 
high  with  large  and  luscious  oranges.  But  even 
the  memories  of  that  scene  fade  and  pale  before  the 
golden  view  of  the  Riverside  orchards.  When  the 
rain  ceased  and  the  sun  shone  out,  the  scene  was 
bewilderingly  gorgeous.  We  became  gradually 
accustomed  to  orange  orchards,  to  enormous  piles  of 
fruit,  to  Chinamen  gathering  and  washing  and  sort- 
ing and  packing  oranges  by  hundreds  of  thousands, 
but  the  first  views  of  the  orange  garden  of  Riverside 
will  always  remain  as  the  t}'pe  and  standard  of  orange 
culture  and  its  attractions  in  Southern  California. 

Great  companies,  like  the  Earle  Fruit  Company, 
purchase,  pack,  and  ship  the    fruit  in    special  cars 


54  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

which  hold  three  hundred  boxes.  They  have 
packing-houses  along  the  railway  to  which  the  fruit 
is  brought.  It  is  received  and  placed  on  large  slant- 
ing platforms,  and  by  ingenious  contrivances  the 
different  sizes  sort  themselves.  Chinamen  rapidly 
seize,  and  wrap,  and  place  these  in  prepared  boxes, 
other  Chinamen,  using  a  simple  machine,  press 
down  and  nail  on  the  covers,  and  stack  them  for  pack- 
ing in  the  refrigerator  cars.  During  the  busy  season 
the  work  often  goes  on  far  into  the  night,  as  well  as 
all  day.  In  1891,  the  crojD  of  Southern  California 
was  about  five  thousand  carloads,  or  a  million  and 
a  half  boxes  of  oranges.  In  1893,  it  was  much 
larger,  for  many  trees  had  come  into  bearing  during 
the  interval.  Oranges,  like  all  good  things  in  this 
world,  need  cultivation ;  and  they  repay  care  and 
culture.  Great  care  must  be  used  in  the  selection 
and  growth  of  the  trees.  The  orchards  must  be 
ploughed  and  kept  clear  of  weeds,  water  must  be 
abundantly  and  judiciously  provided  during  the 
long  dry  seasons,  the  trees  must  be  guarded  from 
insects,  and  the  limbs  supported  as  the  fruit  matures  ; 
all  the  fruit  must  be  hand-picked,  cleaned,  and  dried, 
fairly  sized,  well  wrapped,  and  boxed. 

The  best  fruit,  the  Washington  navel  orange 
grown  at  Riverside,  is  a  large,  seedless  orange  of  a 
high  color,  skin  of  medium  thickness,  delicious  fla- 
vor, and  much  juice.  It  surpasses  any  fruit  grown 
in  the  Florida  orchards,  and  is,  to  my  taste,  the  best 
orange  in  the  world.  The  finest  of  this  sort  com- 
mand, even  here,  from  two  to  three  dollars  a  box. 

One  never  wearies  of  walking  through  the  groves 


IN   CALIFORNIA  55 

and  driving  along  Magnolia  Avenue,  and  seeing  and 
hearing:  of  this  delightful  branch  of  horticulture  in 
the  fragrant  air  and  the  warm  sun  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia.  All  is  not  gold  that  glitters,  and  golden 
oranges  do  not  always  turn  to  gold  in  the  pockets  of 
the  fruit  raisers,  but  the  industry  is  a  pleasant  and 
profitable  one,  and  those  who  enter  upon  it  with 
sufficient  capital,  and  pursue  it  with  perseverance 
and  enterprise,  are  pretty  sure  of  success. 

Lemons  are  more  difficult  to  raise  than  oranges, 
the  tree  being  more  delicate  and  susceptible  to  frost. 
If  the  lemons  are  picked  before  they  are  ripe,  and 
carefully  cured,  the  skin  grows  thin,  and  the  juice 
increases  greatly,  and  after  a  few  months  their  value 
is  doubled  or  trebled.  Lemons  thus  treated  have 
brought  six  dollars  a  box,  and  the  market  is  never 
overstocked.  San  Bernardino  County,  in  which 
Riverside  is  located,  has  nearly  half  of  the  lemon 
trees  of  the  state. 

The  raisin  business  has  also  an  important  centre 
at  Riverside,  and  the  California  raisins  have  now 
taken  the  place  in  the  United  States  of  the  imported 
raisin  to  a  large  extent.  A  vineyard  of  raisin  grapes 
begins  to  yield  by  the  third  year,  and  by  the  fifth 
year  has  reached  its  full  yield  of  two  hundred  boxes 
to  the  acre.  This  product  has  increased  in  Cali- 
fornia from  six  thousand  boxes  to  more  than  three 
million  boxes  in  twenty  years,  and  it  is  still  increas- 
ing. Even  as  far  north  as  Fresno,  Noble  Brothers 
and  the  Fresno  Home  Packing  Company  do  a  large 
and  valuable  business  in  this  fruit.  I  have  only 
touched  upon  those    fruits   which    make   Riverside 


56  Beyond  the  rookies 

a  profitable  as  well  as  a  beautiful  place.  The  broad 
streets  bordered  with  palm  trees,  and  shaded  with  tall, 
swinging  branches  of  eucalyptus  trees;  with  miles 
of  homes  in  the  midst  of  orange  groves,  and  an  intel- 
ligent, happy,  and  prosperous  population ;  with  good 
schools,  well  supplied  churches,  and  agreeable  soci- 
ety, make  this  a  favorite  town  for  visitors  and  resi- 
dents. We  were  sorry  to  leave  it,  but  the  time  had 
come  to  move  on,  and  we  took  the  train  for  San 
Diego. 


X 

CORONADO  BEACH 

A     NARROW     ESCAPE FINE     WEATHER A     LUXURY     TO 

LIVE ACRES     OF     WILD     FLOWERS BEAUTY     ON     SEA 

AND      SHORE COMFORT      AND      GOOD      COMPANY EX- 
CURSIONS   BLUE    PRESBYTERIANISM 

It  was  well  that  we  did  not  linger  longer  in 
Riverside,  for  the  floods  were  out  and  travelling  was 
dangerous.  Two  hours  after  our  heavy  Pullman 
train  passed  over  the  Southern  California  road  from 
Riverside  to  San  Diego,  bridges  and  embankments 
gave  way  under  the  pressure  of  the  waters,  and 
nearly  a  week  elapsed  before  the  damages  were  re- 
paired. We  were  thankful  that  we  had  escaped 
from  disaster,  and  were  housed  in  such  a  delightful 
place  as  the  Hotel  del  Coronado,  across  the  harbor 
from  San  Diego,  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  at  Cor- 
onado Beach.  For  a  day  or  two  after  our  arrival 
there  was  rain  and  fog,  and  we  began  to  think  that 
the  climate  of  Southern  California  was  beautiful  only 
in  books.  Then  the  sun  came  out  bright,  and  though 
mists  partially  shrouded  the  distant  mountains  anc1 
lay  far  out  upon  the  ocean,  there  was  no  more  rain, 
and  the  weather  prophets  declared  that  the  "rainy 
season "  was   over.      There   certainly  seemed  to  be 

57 


58  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

water  enough  everywhere.  It  was  impossible  to 
make  any  excursions  to  the  Mission,  to  Tia  Juana, 
or  to  Point  Loma,  for  bridges  had  gone  away,  and 
fords  had  changed  their  bottom,  and  the  roads  were 
gullied  and  washed  beyond  repair.  But  there  was 
no  need  for  excursions  in  order  to  enjoyment.  It 
was  a  luxury  to  sit,  on  a  March  morning,  with  the 
shade  of  a  palm  tree  over  one's  head,  and  the  warm 
sun  upon  one  s  feet,  and  the  cool  breeze  bringing  the 
ozone  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  to  the  lungs,  and  to  gaze 
over  the  beautiful  blue  of  the  sea  or  follow  the  ex- 
quisite curve  of  the  shore,  which  has  not  inaptly  been 
compared  to  the  famous  Bay  of  Naples.  After  long 
railway  journeys  through  deserts  and  over  mountains, 
sleeping  and  eating  in  narrow  quarters,  and  at  the 
rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour,  we  could  appreciate  the 
spacious  rooms,  the  manifold  comforts,  the  varied 
and  excellent  fare,  the  rest,  recreation,  and  refresh- 
ment of  a  first-class  hotel.  We  were  conscious,  too, 
of  a  new  atmosphere,  soft  and  balmy,  and  yet  pure 
and  strengthening.  For  a  few  days  after  the  rain, 
there  was  a  chill  in  the  air  which  suggested  snow, 
like  the  wind  that  blows  from  the  north  in  early 
spring;  but  after  a  little  this  was  modified,  and  day 
after  day  the  thermometer  marked  sixty  degrees,  as 
if  it  were  fixed  at  that  point,  the  sun  came  out  clear 
and  bright,  the  wind  blew  steadily  from  the  same 
point,  and  Nature  moved  gradually  forward  all  her 
beautiful  creations  of  tree  and  shrub  and  plant  in 
a  wonderful  procession.  The  fields  were  literally 
carpeted  with  wild  flowers  :  yellow  daisies  and  pop- 
pies in  masses  so  dense  that  the  hills  seemed  vast 


COKONADO   BEACH  59 

heaps  of  gold,  valleys  so  filled  with  the  flowers  of 
the  wild  onion  that  one  seemed  to  look  upon  a  great 
deposit  of  sapphires,  the  glowing  red  of  the  "paint- 
er's brush  "  in  a  flaming  line  through  greens  so  rich 
and  bright  that  their  reproduction  on  canvas  would 
be  pronounced  an  exaggeration.  Wherever  the  eye 
wandered  there  was  beauty,  from  the  aquamarine  of 
the  sea,  edged  along  the  shore  with  a  ruffled  foam 
crest  of  breakers,  and  higher  up  with  a  band  of  }^ellow 
sand,  to  the  flowery  hills  and  meadows,  the  dark 
mountains  covered  with  the  close  foliage  of  the  live- 
oaks,  the  distant  peaks  glistening  in  their  crowns  of 
snow,  and  over  all  a  firmament  of  pure  and  ethereal 
blue  in  which  the  sun  blazed  bright  all  day  long,  and 
the  moon  and  stars  shone  like  radiant  jewels  by 
night.  The  beach,  twelve  miles  long,  with  its  never 
wearying  play  of  waves ;  or  the  smooth  waters  of  the 
Bay  of  "San  Diego,  forming  the  foreground  for  a 
picturesque  view  of  the  town  built  on  hills,  with  the 
mountains  still  further  back ;  or  Point  Loma,  a  huge 
headland,  at  whose  base  stands  the  lighthouse  that  is 
now  used,  and  on  whose  summit  rises  the  light- 
house which  has  now  been  abandoned;  and  the  wild 
mountains  down  towards  the  Mexican  border,  offer 
to  the  resident  at  Coronado  Beach  every  variety  of 
scenery,  while  drives  and  excursions  along  the  shores, 
or  inland  to  the  valleys,  furnish  abundant  means  of 
recreation.  The  botanist  may  here  fill  his  herbarium 
with  new  varieties  of  plants  daily,  and  with  seaweeds 
rich  and  rare ;  there  are  shells  in  great  variety  and 
beauty  upon  the  beaches  for  the  conchologist  to 
gather  and  arrange,    there   are   fish  that  are   worth 


60  BEYOND    THE   ROCKIES 

catching,  and  no  end  of  small  game  —  hares,  and 
ducks,  and  quail  —  to  be  found  within  a  short  ride  of 
Coronado.  A  party  which  went  from  the  hotel  dur- 
ing my  visit  had  five  days  of  capital  sport,  and 
brought  home  a  bag  of  more  than  seven  hundred 
game.  Such  hunts  are  frequent,  and  the  table  is 
never  without  all  kinds  of  game  that  are  in  season. 
Coronado  Beach  is  twelve  miles  long,  expanding 
into  a  plain  at  its  northern  end,  which  is  opposite 
San  Diego.  Upon  the  south  front  of  the  beach,  and 
close  to  the  sea,  the  hotel  has  been  built.  It  is  a 
building  that  covers  four  and  one-half  acres  of  ground, 
and  is  a  surprising  combination  of  Spanish  and 
American  ideas.  The  manifold  angles  and  curves 
of  its  many  fronts,  its  bays  and  piazzas,  bewilder  the 
eye,  and  one  is  at  a  loss  to  say  whether  it  belongs  to 
any  style  of  architecture.  Within  is  a  large  hall, 
which  opens  into  an  interior  court  like  the  Spanish 
patio.  This  is  laid  out  in  paved  walks,  with  flower 
beds,  in  the  midst  of  which  are  royal  and  date  palms, 
India-rubber  trees,  flowering  shrubs,  and  climbing 
vines.  The  house  is  full  of  flowers.  Every  public 
room  has  its  vases  of  roses,  and  lilies,  and  hyacinths, 
and  every  table  in  the  vast  dining-room  has  for  its 
central  ornament  an  exquisite  bouquet.  Provision 
is  made  here  for  all  sorts  of  people,  for  differing 
tastes,  and  various  degrees  of  physical  strength. 
Glass  piazzas  give  an  enclosed  walk  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  without  turning;  great  tanks  of  salt  and  fresh 
water  invite  those  who  desire  to  swim  without  the 
risk  of  the  surf  to  their  pure  depths ;  delightful  gar- 
dens with  exquisitely  framed   beds  of   flowers  and 


CORONADO   BEACH  61 

plants,  and  shady  retreats,  offer  a  lounging  place  to 
the  weary  or  feeble.  Well-chosen  walks,  an  ostrich 
farm,  a  bewildering  maze,  bowling-alleys,  and  all 
the  indoor  amusements  which  a  well-appointed  water- 
ing place  affords  are  here. 

But  the  charm  of  the  place  is  out  of  doors,  under 
the  palm  trees,  by  the  seashore,  on  a  horse  or  in  a 
carriage.  Riding  over  the  hills,  into  the  canons, 
breathing  such  air  as  our  lungs  in  New  York  never 
receive,  rejoicing  in  the  fact  of  existence,  and  feel- 
ing no  unpleasant  reproach  of  conscience  for  doing 
nothing  except  enjo}^  the  works  and  ways  of  God,  we 
pass  our  days,  and  have  quite  forgotten  that  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  news,  or  a  condition  of  life  where  a 
newspaper  is  a  daily  necessit}\  Such  a  place  is 
Coronado  Beach,  and  those  who  go  there  pass  their 
time  in  such  varied  and  delightful  occupations. 

One  day,  in  choice  company  with  an  enthusiastic 
artist  and  amateur  photographers,  we  drove  around 
the  coast  to  the  headland  which  forms  the  entrance 
of  the  land-locked  harbor  of  San  Diego.  Sitting  on 
the  hill-side,  we  could  watch  the  Santa  Rosa,  one  of 
the  largest  steamers  on  the  Pacific  coast,  as  she  made 
her  way  through  the  channel  near  the  shore  for  four 
or  five  miles  out  to  sea,  and  then  doubled  on  her 
track,  rounded  Point  Loma  and  steamed  northwards 
on  her  voyage  to  San  Francisco.  Before  us  lay  the 
harbor  and  its  shipping,  and  beyond  the  picturesque 
town  on  sloping  hill-sides ;  at  the  right  the  long  curve 
of  the  beach  swept  down  to  the  Mexican  border;  and 
behind  all,  the  outline  of  mountains  was  dimly  seen, 
through  a  haze  like  that  which  sometimes  veils  our 


62  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

New  England  heights  in  the  August  days.  The 
artist's  ready  pencil  seized  the  outlines  and  brilliant 
colors  of  the  scene,  which  will  grow  under  his  deft 
fingers  into  a  lovely  painting,  while  many  a  sun 
picture  was  taken  by  the  cameras  which  will  increase 
the  pleasures  of  memory  in  days  to  come. 

Another  afternoon  found  us  visiting  the  old  town 
of  San  Diego,  where  the  first  wooden  house  in  Cali- 
fornia still  stands.  Its  timbers  were  framed  in  New 
England,  and  carried  around  Cape  Horn  to  be  erected 
here.  Not  far  distant  was  the  residence  of  a  com- 
panion of  Richard  H.  Dana,  in  his  "  Two  Years 
Before  the  Mast."  He  married  and  settled  in  San 
Diego,  and  has  only  recently  died,  leaving  a  large 
number  of  descendants,  who  are  of  a  lighter  color 
than  most  of  the  people  among  whom  they  live. 
There,  too,  is  the  church  in  which  "Ramona,"  the 
heroine  of  Helen  Hunt  Jackson's  novel,  was  married, 
and  some  of  the  descriptions  of  scenery  and  customs 
in  that  well-written  and  philanthropic  book,  had 
their  originals  in  this  place.  The  old  town  is  almost 
abandoned,  for  speculation,  which  has  done  much 
good  and  also  much  evil  in  California,  invaded  San 
Diego  not  many  years  since.  Land  was  laid  out  in 
lots,  from  the  highlands  to  low-water  mark,  and  was 
sold  and  resold  until  the  "boom"  burst.  Then  a 
new  town  had  arisen,  hundreds  of  peoj)le  had  been 
ruined,  and  many  Eastern  people  had  invested  their 
money  in  lots  over  whose  rotting  stakes  the  tide  now 
rises  and  falls  daily.  All  over  California  there  have 
been  similar  experiences  of  speculation.  There  is 
still  much  trood  land  to  be  had  in  the  world  at  rea- 


CORONADO   BEACH  63 

sonable  rates,  and  fortunes  will  not  be  lost  anywhere 
by  judicious  waiting. 

We  drove  one  day  to  the  old  Mission,  whose  adobe 
walls  are  tumbling  down,  while  near  at  hand  is  a 
large  Roman  Catholic  "contract"  school,  full  of 
Indian  boys  and  girls.  The  priest  had  tried  that 
morning  to  cross  the  river  in  a  wagon,  but  his  horse 
lost  footing  in  the  quicksands,  kicked  himself  loose, 
swam  ashore,  and  left  the  "padre"  sitting  in  the 
vehicle  in  the  middle  of  the  river.  From  this  ludi- 
crous and  somewhat  dangerous  position,  he  had  just 
been  rescued  by  his  pupils  when  we  came  upon  the 
scene.  The  old  Franciscans  made  good  selections 
for  their  foundations,  and  builded  better  than  they 
knew  in  some  cases.  But  most  of  their  buildings 
are  now  in  ruins,  and  their  day  in  California  has 
long  been  ended.  Half  a  century  ago,  none  but 
Roman  Catholics  could  reside  in  California,  and 
many  English  and  Americans  joined  the  Roman 
Church  in  order  to  trade  in  the  country.  Now  there 
is  freedom  for  every  faith,  and  I  attended  service  in 
a  Presbyterian  church  at  Coronado,  built  as  a  memo- 
rial, and  heard  as  thorough  a  Calvinistic  sermon  as 
ever  was  preached  in  Geneva  or  Edinburgh.  Some 
called  the  preacher  "narrow,"  while  others  were 
pleased  that  he  was  "true  blue,"  and  I  was  glad 
that  I  could  worship  God  in  this  far  country  after 
the  custom  of  my  ancestors. 


XI 
PASADENA 

SIGNING    TICKETS  —  BREAKING  A  TRAIN    IN  TWO — OCEAN 

VIEWS  MEETING     DR.      ORMISTON HIS     GOOD     WORK 

FRIENDS     IN     PASADENA A     BIG     ROSE-BUSH THE 

CROWN    OF    THE    VALLEY — A    MODEL    TOWN 

If  we  were  to  see  California,  we  must  leave  Cor- 
onado  Beach  and  begin  our  journey,  for  the  state  is 
large,  there  are  many  beautiful  and  interesting  places 
to  visit,  and  we  were  tourists  and  not  home-seekers. 
So  we  checked  our  trunks,  paying  a  dollar  each  in 
addition  to  our  railway  fares,  to  have  them  taken 
from  the  hotel  at  the  beach  to  the  hotel  at  Pasadena. 
In  these  new  states,  where  the  journeys  are  long  and 
hard,  the  railway  companies  are  very  strict,  and  care- 
ful not  to  do  any  extra  work  without  getting  pay  for 
it.  Railway  officials  and  magnates,  and  their  friends, 
are  treated  munificently,  but  the  ordinary  traveller 
pays  his  way  at  a  high  price  for  all  that  he  receives. 
The  ferry-boat  took  us  across  the  harbor  to  San  Diego, 
and  we  were  at  the  station  in  good  time.  It  was 
well  that  we  were,  for  there  was  a  great  crowd,  and 
the  line  to  the  ticket-office  was  long  and,  for  the 
most  part,  patient.  There  was  one  angry  man.  He 
had  waited  for  his  turn  to  come,  and  had  his  own 

64 


PASADENA  65 

and  a  friend's  ticket  in  his  hand.  For  some  reason 
not  explained  to  me,  but  evidently  familiar  to  the 
crowd,  each  purchaser  of  a  ticket  was  obliged  to 
sign  his  name  on  the  ticket.  Men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren had  been  handed  a  pen  as  they  paid  their  fares 
or  showed  their  tickets,  and  each  had  inscribed  his 
name,  which  was  a  sort  of  tribute  to  the  widespread 
education  of  California.  When  this  man's  turn 
came,  he  objected  to  signing.  The  ticket  seller  in- 
sisted that  it  was  necessarjr,  and  the  man  expostu- 
lated. Finally  he  signed,  and  then  wanted  to  sign 
the  other  ticket  for  his  friend,  who  was  lame.  This 
could  not  be  allowed.  In  a  rage  he  exclaimed :  "  I 
have  travelled  all  over  Europe,  and  never  had  to  sign 
a  ticket."  "Wall,  you've  got  to  sign  it  here," 
drawled  the  official,  adding,  in  the  most  insulting 
manner:  "See  here,  gents,  is  a  feller  who's  travelled 
all  over  Urup !  "  The  man  saw  that  the  sympathy 
of  the  crowd  was  with  the  ticket  seller,  and  so 
marched  off  and  hurried  his  lame  comrade  into  the 
line,  where  he  stood  for  half  an  hour  before  his  turn 
came  to  sign. 

Before  this  tedious  operation  was  completed,  the 
train  drew  up.  There  was  one  specially  coveted 
"chair  car,"  a  clumsy  contrivance  for  reducing  the 
misery  of  a  railway  ride.  Having  received  early 
information  of  this  extra  comfort,  which  could  not 
be  secured  beforehand,  though  it  had  to  be  paid  for 
afterwards,  I  covenanted  with  a  powerful  San  Die- 
gan  to  secure  seats  for  us,  which  he  did  by  dexter- 
ously pitching  our  bags  through  the  open  windows 
as  the  car  slid  by,  leaping  himself  on  the  rear  plat- 


66  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

form,  and  installing  the  luggage  before  the  scramble 
began.  We  followed  at  our  ease,  and  found  our 
Hercules,  who  surrendered  his  fortifications,  re- 
ceived his  bribe,  and  retired  to  win  other  similar 
victories.  The  day  was  hot,  and  the  train  was 
crowded  with  people  standing  in  the  aisles,  except 
in  the  "chair  car,"  for  an  excursion  of  an  indepen- 
dent order  of  Elks  or  Buffaloes,  or  some  such  society, 
was  going  to  the  Capistrano  Mission  or  to  Oceanside 
for  a  picnic.  The  load  was  so  heavy  that,  in  going 
up  a  hill  near  one  of  the  recent  washouts,  the  train 
broke  in  two,  and  a  good  many  of  the  Elks  were 
landed  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  in  some  confusion, 
but  without  any  broken  bones. 

As  we  rode  along,  the  landscape  charmed  and  de- 
lighted the  eye.  On  one  side  was  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
the  shore  fringed  with  small  islands  and  foam- 
whitened  reefs;  on  the  other  side  were  hills  and 
valleys  covered  with  flowers,  yellow  poppies,  blue 
and  yellow  and  white  violets,  daisies,  and  baby-blue- 
eyes.  Orange  orchards  and  fields  of  barley  of  a 
bright  and  brilliant  green  succeeded;  then  groves 
of  liveoak;  and  beyond,  the  purple  and  black  moun- 
tain sides  with  their  crowns  of  snow,  which  generally 
remain  till  the  middle  of  May.  The  ride  was  through 
fine  scenery,  but  the  sun  was  hot. 

A  little  after  noon  we  reached  Los  Angeles,  where 
there  was  a  change,  and  a  hurried  scramble  for  the 
next  train,  as  our  train  was  late,  and  on  taking  our 
seats,  we  found  directly  in  front  of  us  the  Rev.  Dr. 
William  Ormiston,  the  former  pastor  of  the  Collegi- 
ate Reformed  Church  at  Twenty-ninth  Street,  New 


PASADENA  67 

York.  "And  where  have  you  dropped  from,  and 
how  do  you  do,  my  dear  friends !  "  was  his  hearty 
greeting.  We  had  a  pleasant  talk  then,  and  after- 
wards I  visited  him  at  his  ranch  at  Azusa,  and  wan- 
dered with  him  in  his  orange  groves,  which  embrace 
in  all  about  one  hundred  acres,  and  sat  with  him  in 
his  study  till  the  evening  shadows  fell,  purpling  the 
mountains,  and  then  bore  with  me  to  my  temporary 
home  a  quantity  of  golden  fruit,  which  kept  the 
lunch-basket  full  for  several  da}-s.  Dr.  Ormiston  is 
the  same  warm-hearted,  earnest  man  whom  so  many 
of  my  readers  have  known,  and  he  told  me  that  no 
Sunday  passed  that  he  did  not  break  the  bread  of  life 
to  some  congregation,  rarely  in  the  large  towns, 
usually  in  some  mountain  glen,  or  on  a  ranch  dis- 
tant from  any  church.  Several  of  these  little  con- 
gregations have  become  organized  churches,  and  have 
pastors  or  preachers  of  their  own.  Much  work  of 
this  sort  can  be  done  and  is  done  in  California,  and 
it  will  bear  spiritual  fruit  among  these  orchards  and 
vineyards  in  days  to  come. 

When  I  was  settled  comfortably  in  the  town  of 
Pasadena,  I  found  that  it  was  the  residence  or  stop- 
ping place  of  many  friends.  Here  was  the  Rev. 
Robert  Strong,  whose  work  in  the  systematic  benev- 
olence of  their  church  has  made  him  known  to  so 
many  Presbyterians.  Here  dwells  also,  not  beneath 
his  own  vine  and  fig  tree,  but  beneath  a  climbing 
"  Gold  of  Ophir  "  rose-bush  which  in  one  year  had 
more  than  fifty  thousand  blossoms,  the  Rev.  A.  M. 
Merwin,  some  time  missionary  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  in  South  America,  and  now  superintendent  of 


68  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

the  Board's  work  among  the  Mexicans  of  Southern 
California.  Palms  and  orange  trees  surround  the 
house,  and  its  outlook  is  enchanting. 

Pasadena,  "the  crown  of  the  valley,"  was  founded 
just  twenty  years  ago,  by  an  association  of  gentlemen 
from  Indianapolis,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
San  Gabriel  Valley  at  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Madre 
Mountains.  They  intended  only  to  raise  oranges 
and  lemons,  and  they  have  builded  a  city  which  now 
has  a  population  of  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand. 
The  city  is  built  on  high,  rolling  land,  sloping 
southward  from  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  towards 
the  sea,  which  is  twenty-five  miles  distant,  and  on 
the  eastern  bank  of  a  clear  mountain  stream  which 
supplies  all  the  water  needed  for  irrigation  or  for 
domestic  uses.  Mountains,  only  five  miles  distant, 
rise  in  the  north  to  a  height  of  six  thousand  feet 
above  the  valley,  enclosing,  with  lesser  peaks,  the 
great  undulating  plain  of  the  San  Gabriel  River, 
which  stretches  eastward  for  sixty  miles. 

Pasadena  commands  this  prospect,  and  from  some 
of  its  heights  offers  glimpses  of  the  Pacific.  The 
town  is  laid  out  in  broad  avenues  and  streets,  mostly 
rectangular,  but  some  curving,  notably  the  beautiful 
Orange  Grove  Avenue.  These  are  well  paved,  and 
lined  with  many  varieties  of  semi-tropical  shade 
trees,  among  which  palms  and  eucalyptus  are  promi- 
nent. The  houses  stand  in  orchards  and  gardens, 
with  a  profusion  of  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers, 
which  are  to  be  seen  nowhere  except  in  Southern 
California.  Some  of  the  residences  are  costly  villas 
of  elegant  architectural  design,  like  those  of  Profes- 


PASADENA  69 

sor  Lowe  and  Governor  Markham,  but  the  majority 
of  houses  in  Pasadena  are  homes  where  culture  and 
refinement  have  their  abiding  place,  in  company  with 
contentment  and  happiness. 

The  character  of  the  citizens  of  this  town  makes 
it  an  eminently  desirable  place  to  live.  The  town 
has  not  grown  up  hap-hazard,  made  up  of  drift-wood 
and  debris,  but  it  was  founded  by  intelligent  Chris- 
tian people,  and  this  kind  of  people  have  added  to 
its  population,  and  live  there  to-day.  The  people 
all  go  to  church  on  the  Sabbath,  and  one-fourth  of 
the  residents  are  church-members  ;  they  are  absolutely 
destitute  of  a  saloon  or  grog-shop ;  they  have  one  of 
the  best  public  libraries  in  the  state  ;  they  take  pride 
in  having  well-paved,  well-cleaned,  well-watered, 
and  well-lighted  streets;  they  have  six  first-class 
schoolhouses,  with  nine  rooms  in  each,  and  out  of  the 
ten  thousand  inhabitants  fifteen  hundred  are  enrolled 
as  scholars.  About  two  thousand  Eastern  people 
annually  test  the  climate  and  pleasures  of  Pasadena, 
and  a  proportion  of  these  always  become  permanent 
residents.  The  people  are  engaged  in  fruit  growing, 
trade,  manufactures,  banking,  and  too  many  of  them 
in  real  estate  transactions.  But  as  the  land  is  sold, 
and  this  city  of  twenty  years  of  age  settles  into  a 
substantial  and  steadily  growing  town,  the  mania 
for  land  speculation,  which  is  developed  in  all  young 
communities,  will  give  place  to  better  employments. 
Thus  far,  Pasadena  has  more  than  realized  the  ex- 
pectations of  its  founders,  and  there  are  few  places 
in  Southern  California  where  better  climate,  and 
water,  and  soil,  and  society,  and  civil  and  religious 
privileges  are  combined. 


XII 
IN   THE   SAN   GABRIEL   VALLEY 

EXCURSIONS    IN    THE  VALLEY LUCKY   BALDWIN  AND   HIS 

RANCH SUNNY  SLOPE  VINEYARDS THE  OLD  MISSION 

A    MOUNTAIN    RAILROAD EASTER  SUNDAY  AT  PASA- 
DENA. 

Pasadena  is  the  centre  from  which  pleasant 
drives  and  mountain  excursions  and  visits  to  ranches 
and  orchards  radiate.  Our  days  were  not  too  many 
for  the  plans  which  were  made  to  fill  them  with 
pleasure.  The  mornings  often  dawned  with  fog 
lying  over  the  landscape,  as  we  see  it  in  the  river 
valleys  of  New  England  in  summer  time.  Such 
mornings  are  troublesome  to  invalids,  for  the  fog 
comes  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  is  hurtful  to  the 
lungs  of  the  consumptive,  and  irritating  to  the 
asthmatic.  Before  noon  it  is  all  gone,  and  the  atmos- 
phere is  dry,  and  the  sun  warm.  On  a  bright  morn- 
ing we  took  our  places  with  an  agreeable  party  that 
just  filled  the  three  seats  of  a  fine  buckboard  built 
in  Maine.  The  accomplished  driver  sat  in  solitary 
solemnity  upon  a  single  high-perched  seat  in  front, 
from  which  he  handled  the  reins  and  flourished  the 
whip  with  great  dexterity  over  the  backs  of  four  well- 
groomed  bays  that  formed  our  team.     They  were  all 

70 


IN   THE   SAN   GABRIEL   VALLEY  71 

sleek,  handsome  horses,  fat  as  almost  all  the  Cali- 
fornia horses  are,  because  of  the  excellence  of  their 
food,  but  fleet  of  foot  and  showing  excellent  endur- 
ance at  a  good  pace  for  hours.  Over  roads  that  be- 
come hard  and  smooth  as  soon  as  the  rains  cease, 
between  avenues  of  the  rapidly  growing  eucalyptus 
trees,  which  have  been  planted  throughout  Califor- 
nia, in  the  fresh,  delicious  air  full  of  perfume  from 
thousands  of  flowers,  we  spun  along  in  the  San 
Gabriel  valley.  This  valley  has  an  area  of  about 
three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  of  arable  land, 
which  is  irrigated  and  sometimes  devastated  by  the 
San  Gabriel  River.  The  Sierra  Madre  Mountains 
rise  on  the  north  from  six  to  seven  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea-level,  and  there  are  hills  upon  the 
other  sides  which  shut  out  violent  winds.  These 
favored  lands  are  occupied  b}*  the  fruitful  ranches  of 
maii}T  prosperous  farmers,  and  among  them  are  at- 
tractive resorts,  comfortable  hotels,  and  mountain 
camps,  occupied  by  health  and  pleasure  seekers  from 
all  parts  of  the  world.  The  frostless  valley,  with 
orange  groves  and  fine  homes,  at  the  foot  of  moun- 
tains covered  with  snow  in  the  winter  and  spring 
months,  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  in  view  from  the 
foot-hills  about  twenty  miles  away,  is  an  ideal  place 
in  which  to  live. 

Among  these  residents  is  "Lucky  Baldwin,"  whose 
ranch  is  one  of  the  show-places.  This  sobriquet  in- 
dicates his  good  fortune.  In  the  garden  near  his 
fine  house  stands  the  original  one-man  cabin  which 
he  built  many  years  ago,  when  he  came  to  try  his 
luck  in  California.      He  now  has  fifty  thousand  acres 


72  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

of  the  best  land  in  the  heart  of  the  San  Gabriel  val- 
ley, the  best  stock  farm  in  Southern  California,  three 
large  and  thriving  hotels,  one  of  which  is  in  San 
Francisco,  and  wealth  of  al}  kinds.  Such  are  the 
possibilities  in  many  parts  of  our  great,  fertile,  and 
growing  country.  Sagacity,  industry,  strength,  and 
perseverance  are  sure  to  gain  success  in  connection 
with  these  great  opportunities.  The  men  who  fail 
would  fail  anywhere,  but  the  men  who  succeed  would 
not  by  any  means  be  successful  in  our  older  and  more 
conservative  communities.  There  are  difficulties  to 
be  overcome,  and  there  is  hard  work  to  be  done,  and 
judgment  is  to  be  exercised  in  California  and  Oregon 
and  Washington,  as  well  as  in  Eastern  places,  but 
the  road  to  success  is  shorter  and  easier  here. 

"  Lucky  Baldwin  "  has  fine  flowing  wells  of  pure 
water,  groves  of  planted  trees,  orange  orchards  that 
yield  him  fifteen  hundred  dollars  an  acre  each  year, 
cattle  that  take  the  prizes  in  Southern  California, 
and  beautiful  horses  that  have  made  a  name  east  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  He  gets  his  water  from 
Artesian  wells,  valley  and  mountain  streams,  and 
from  large  storage  reservoirs,  dams,  and  pipe  sys- 
tems, having  in  operation  many  miles  of  irrigation 
pipes  of  large  size,  and  a  complete  system  of  reser- 
voirs and  pressure  pipes  for  domestic  use. 

Oranges  are  his  chief  crop,  but  apples  and  cherries 
and  plums  and  grapes,  grain,  vegetables,  and  nuts, 
swell  the  list  of  his  agricultural  products,  and  his 
horses  are  many  and  beautiful.  We  visited  the  stalls 
and  admired  the  fine  animals  as  the  proud  grooms 
removed    their  blankets,  and  expatiated  upon   their 


IN   THE   SAN    GABRIEL   VALLEY  73 

pedigree  and  points.  Some  were  playful  as  kittens, 
while  others  were  as  sensitive  as  a  high-born  maiden. 
All  were  cared  for  with  vigilant  attention,  regularly 
exercised,  judiciously  clothed  and  fed,  and  treated 
as  animals  should  be  who  are  worth  thousands  in 
their  own  right,  and  other  thousands  which  they 
could  earn  for  their  fortunate  owner. 

From  this  ranch  we  drove  to  the  "sunny  slope" 
vineyards,  through  acres  of  stumpy  vines  which  were 
jnst  beginning  to  shoot,  to  the  storage  cellars,  where 
rows  of  huge  casks  and  shelves  of  bottles  full  of 
choice  Avine  are  kept.  Men  were  busy  putting  up 
orders  for  the  Eastern  market,  and  samples  of  the 
various  productions  were  at  hand  for  buyers  or  tast- 
ers. The  wine  of  California  has  a  strong  fruity 
taste,  which  is  not  acceptable  to  those  who  have  been 
long  accustomed  to  the  manufactured  wines  which 
come  across  the  sea.  I  have  no  experience  in  the 
sample-room,  and  can  onty  wonder  at  the  cultivation 
of  the  sense  of  taste  which  enables  an  expert  to  be- 
lieve the  story  of  two  tasters  at  Heidelberg  who  disa- 
greed about  the  contents  of  a  huge  tun  of  wine. 
One  tasted  leather,  and  another  tasted  iron.  When 
the  wine  was  drawn  off,  a  rusty  key  with  a  leather 
tag  was  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  great  cask,  and 
the  reputation  of  both  of  the  tasters  was  established. 
The  California  wine,  as  it  comes  from  these  ranches, 
is  pure  and  true  juice  of  the  grape,  though  I  am  told 
that  great  quantities  are  sold  which  are  afterwards 
doctored  to  suit  cultivated  palates,  and  labelled  with 
the  brands  of  popular  French  vineyards. 

In  one  of  the  jTards  of  this  ranch  a  lot  of  Chinamen 


74  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

were  washing  and  brushing  and  sorting  oranges, 
chattering  and  laughing  as  they  worked,  under  the 
direction  of  an  American  inspector.  They  worked 
rapidly  and  thoroughly,  and  the  trays  of  fruit,  as  the 
sun  dried  it,  were  carried  off  to  the  packing-house, 
and  thence  in  wagon-loads  of  boxes  to  the  railway. 

One  of  our  drives  took  in  the  San  Gabriel  Mis- 
sion, with  its  ancient  chime  of  bells,  wonderful 
grapevine,  and  Mexican  inhabitants.  The  contrast 
between  this  sleepy  Spanish  village,  with  its  rows  of 
wine-shops,  adobe  houses,  and  ancient  air,  with  brisk 
and  thrifty  Pasadena  —  prohibition,  enterprising, 
Protestant  —  was  amazing.  While  we  were  at  Pasa- 
dena, Professor  Lowe  gave,  one  evening,  a  lecture, 
with  tine  photographic  views  to  illustrate  a  new  at- 
traction in  the  neighborhood.  This  is  an  engineering 
enterprise  whose  object  is  to  connect  Los  Angeles 
and  Pasadena  with  Wilson's  Peak  and  the  summit 
of  the  San  Gabriel  range  of  mountains,  upward  of  six 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  The  road  is  completed 
from  Altadena  along  the  higher  foot-hills  and  up 
through  Rubio  Canon,  a  distance  of  two  or  three 
miles,  and  thence  by  a  steep  cable  incline  to  the 
summit  of  Echo  Mountain,  thirty-five  hundred  feet 
above  the  Pacific.  Here  a  large  hotel,  capable  of 
accommodating  several  hundred  guests,  is  being 
built.  The  place  has  already  been  occupied  by 
invalids  who  are  greatly  benefited  by  the  tonic  air, 
and  who  have  camped  in  the  neighborhood  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  The  hotel  occupies  a  commanding 
position.  From  its  verandas  a  wonderful  view  of 
mountains,  cultivated  valleys,  towns,   and   villages, 


IN   THE   SAN   GABRIEL   VALLEY  75 

orange  groves,  villa  residences,  and  distant  ocean 
greets  the  vision.  About  twenty  miles  of  bridle 
roads  have  been  constructed  from  the  Echo  Moun- 
tain House  to  neighboring  summits,  canons,  cascades, 
picturesque  rocks,  wooded  ravines,  ferny  dells,  and 
other  points  of  interest;  and  there  will  be  no  lack  of 
attraction  for  the  tourist  who  is  lifted  to  Echo  Moun- 
tain summit  on  the  great  cable  incline.  From  the 
latter  point  the  railroad  will  be  extended  by  easy 
grades  along  the  ridge  overlooking  Grand  Canon 
and  through  several  mountain  valleys  to  the  summit 
of  Mount  Lowe,  the  highest  point  visible  from  Pasa- 
dena, where  the  great  Summit  Hotel  will  command 
a  horizon  more  than  one  hundred  miles  distant  in 
every  direction. 

Immediately  north  of  Mount  Lowe  is  the  high- 
est point  in  the  range,  known  as  Observatory  Peak, 
6723  feet  above  the  sea,  or  about  four  hundred  feet 
higher  than  Mount  Washington.  It  is  reserved  for 
the  site  of  a  great  observatory,  and  correspondence 
is  pending  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  secure  for  it  the 
construction  of  the  largest  telescope  in  the  world. 

We  were  at  Pasadena  on  Easter  Sunday.  On 
Saturday  it  seemed  as  if  the  flowers  of  a  kingdom 
had  come  into  the  town,  so  fragrant  was  the  air  and 
so  occupied  with  flowers  were  the  people.  Sunday 
dawned  bright  and  mild,  and  by  ten  o'clock  the 
streets  were  full  of  people  on  foot,  on  horseback,  and 
in  wagons  and  carriages  from  the  surrounding  coun- 
try going  to  the  churches.  Presbyterian  and  Metho- 
dist and  Baptist  and  Episcopal,  all  large  and  hand- 
some houses  of  worship,  were  thronged  with  people, 


76  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

and  during  the  services  a  New  England  Sabbath  still- 
ness pervaded  the  place.  All  were  filled  and  deco- 
rated with  choice  flowers.  The  platform  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  was  bordered  with  several  hun- 
dred fleurs-de-lis,  while  immense  masses  of  calla 
lilies  were  banked  around  the  organ  rail,  and  the 
pulpit  was  wreathed  with  rose  vines,  bearing  hun- 
dreds of  choice  and  most  fragrant  flowers.  This 
Sabbath  was  well  kept  at  Pasadena,  and  all  the 
churches  were  places  of  spiritual  rest  and  joy. 


XIII 
THRIVING   TOWNS 

LOS       ANGELES  A       FLOURISHING       CITY  HILLS       AND 

HOMES REDLANDS      AND      THE      SMILEYS THE      BOY 

WHO    WANTED    TO    BE    A    CIVIL    ENGINEER 

Los  Angeles  is  the  principal  city  in  Southern 
California.  It  is  a  great  business  centre,  and  has 
been  named  as  a  possible  capital  of  the  state,  if  the 
seat  of  government  should  be  removed  from  Sacra- 
mento. It  has  a  population  of  sixty  thousand,  which 
is  constantly  increasing.  It  is  substantially  built 
upon  a  hilly  region  of  country  between  the  moun- 
tains and  the  sea,  and  about  fifteen  miles  from  each. 
Its  broad  and  handsome  streets  are  traversed  by  elec- 
tric, and  cable,  and  horse  cars,  the  two  former  of 
which  run  over  precipitous  hills,  and  far  out  into 
beautiful  suburbs.  The  private  residences  are  pret- 
tily placed  on  handsome  avenues  shaded  by  palms 
and  other  trees,  and  usually  have  a  well  watered 
lawn  about  the  house  and  rose-bushes  and  flowering 
plants  around  the  piazzas.  There  is  no  ostentation 
or  appearance  of  great  wealth  in  the  city,  but  many 
evidences  of  prosperity  and  comfort.  The  houses 
of  well-to-do  people  of  the  middle  class  extend  for 
miles  from  the  centre  of  the  town,  all  rendered  easily 

77 


78  BEYOND  THE   EOCKIES 

accessible  to  stores  and  shops  and  churches  and 
places  of  amusement  by  the  swiftly  running  and  well- 
appointed  cars  of  the  various  street  railways.  Eleven 
steam  railways  centre  at  Los  Angeles,  of  which  two 
are  competing  trans-continental  lines.  A  large 
ocean  business  is  done  through  the  ports  of  San 
Pedro,  Santa  Monica,  and  Redondo.  The  latter 
place  is  a  great  resort  for  recreation  and  sea-bathing, 
and  possesses  an  excellent  hotel.  The  merchants  of 
Los  Angeles  do  a  large  trade  with  the  whole  of 
Southern  California,  and  the  whole  surrounding 
country  produces  in  great  abundance  not  only  the 
vegetables  and  fruits  needed  by  a  large  city,  but 
enormous  quantities  of  fruit,  and  much  butter  and 
cheese  for  export.  The  town  has  a  river  which  is 
the  source  of  much  contention  and  even  bloodshed. 
Like  all  California  rivers,  it  has  the  very  bad  habit 
of  breaking  loose  from  its  channel  and  flowing  wild 
in  the  most  unexpected  directions.  Many  a  house- 
lot  and  orchard  have  been  swept  away  or  covered 
thick  with  stones  and  gravel  by  this  erratic  stream. 
It  now  runs,  for  the  most  part,  between  banks  of 
solid  plank,  but  it  resents  such  treatment,  and  has 
been  known  to  get  in  behind  the  planking,  and  rip 
the  whole  barrier  to  pieces  in  a  night.  People  who 
own  property  along  the  river,  are  at  certain  seasons 
in  a  strait  betwixt  their  desire  to  irrigate  and  their 
fear  of  a  flood;  and  quarrels  about  the  use  of  the 
river,  where  it  should  go,  and  where  it  may  not  be 
permitted  to  run,  are  frequent. 

In  due  time  the  whole  matter  of  controlling  these 
wild  streams,  husbanding  the  water  for  dry  times, 


.■;,:;;.  m 


ROSE    COTTAGE,   LOS    ANGELES 


THRIVING    TOWNS  70 

and  guarding  against  accident  and  ruin,  will  be 
reduced  to  a  system  in  California.  Something  of 
this  sort  has  been  done  at  the  new  and  beautiful  set- 
tlement of  Redlands  in  San  Bernardino  County, 
where  the  Smiley  brothers  have  large  holdings, 
handsome  houses,  and  fruitful  ranches.  I  made  a 
pleasant  excursion  to  the  place,  and  was  welcomed 
by  Mr.  Smiley  with  his  usual  courtesy. 

The  day  was  fine,  with  a  cool  air  and  a  hot  sun. 
One  of  my  companions  was  a  civil  engineer  who  had 
lived  many  years  in  California,  worked  many  of  its 
mines  and  tramped  over  a  large  part  of  the  state. 
He  expatiated  upon  the  beautiful  regions  yet  unde- 
veloped, and  pointed  out  sections  of  country  which 
would  rival  Redlands  and  Ontario  if  only  capital  was 
put  into  them.  He  knew  of  thousands  of  acres  of 
woodland  which  would  make  the  fortunes  of  pur- 
chasers, if  they  bought  now,  and  built  railways  to 
bring  the  timber  to  a  market.  The  conversation  was 
interesting  and  very  instructive  when  taken  in  con- 
nection with  a  subsequent  interview  with  a  small 
boy.  This  youth,  about  as.  big  as  a  pepper-box, 
shared  my  seat  for  a  while,  and  I  asked  him  the 
usual  question :  "  What  are  you  going  to  be  when 
you  grow  up?"  He  instantly  replied,  "Civil  engi- 
neer." Doubting  his  knowledge,  I  said,  "What 
does  a  civil  engineer  do?"  As  promptly  as  before, 
he  answered,  "He  puts  sticks  into  the  ground  for 
other  folks,  and  says,  'Here's  your  land.'  '  That 
boy  will  get  on  in  California.  He  has  the  correct 
idea  of  the  "boom"  which  is  the  financial  disease  of 
our  whole  Western  country.     I  subsequently  learned 


80  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

that  the  boy's  father  was  a  painter,  but  he  is  far  too 
clever  for  such  a  trade.  He's  going  to  be  a  civil 
engineer,  and  a  future  ruler  in  the  Golden  State. 

There  is  still  much  land  to  be  possessed  in  most 
of  the  towns  of  Southern  California,  though  the 
towns  are  all  laid  out  in  lots,  as  if  land  were  scarce. 
On  some  of  the  best  streets  in  Pasadena  the  lots  for 
sale  were  sixty  feet  wide  by  two  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  in  depth.  These  were  worth  from  five  hundred 
to  five  thousand  dollars  and  more,  according  to  posi- 
tion. The  prices  were  not  materially  different  in 
other  towns.  Where  the  "boom"  had  struck  and 
not  expended  itself,  prices  rose  like  the  tide,  only 
to  recede  in  like  manner;  but  the  real-estate  men 
claim  that  this  tide  rarely  goes  back  to  the  point  of 
beginning,  and  that  there  is  a  substantial  gain  in 
values  after  each  time  of  excitement.  Certainly  this 
cannot  be  true  of  all  the  towns  which  have  indulged 
in  speculation,  though  it  may  be  the  case  with  those 
which  are  best  situated  and  settled  by  solid  people. 

Redlands  has  been  planted  in  a  magnificent  am- 
phitheatre of  mountains,  far  enough  from  the.  sea  to 
escape  the  fogs  of  the  coast,  and  upon  hills  which 
receive  the  reviving  influences  of  the  snow-clad 
ranges  of  mountains.  The  air  is  clear  and  pure 
and  dry,  the  sun  is  hot  but  never  dangerous,  the 
water  is  clear  as  crystal,  is  stored  in  vast  reservoirs 
in  the  mountains,  and  conducted  by  careful  engi- 
neering to  the  town  and  through  its  orchards  and 
gardens. 

The  Smiley  place  is  called  "Canon  Crest,"  from 
its    position,    which    overlooks    the    gorge    through 


THRIVING    TOWNS  81 

which  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  winds  its  way, 
and  faces  the  gap  in  the  mountains  through  which 
the  Santa  F6  Railroad  enters  into  California. 

The  snow-clad  range  uplifts  its  huge  mass  of 
mountains  in  front  of  the  rough  hills  which  Mr. 
Smiley,  at  the  cost  of  many  thousands  of  dollars,  has 
subdued  and  cultivated,  and  planted  with  fruit  trees 
and  shrubs  and  flowers.  A  beautiful  valley  lies 
below,  through  which  the  railway  swings  around  in 
a  loop,  and  in  the  far  distance,  on  a  clear  day,  the 
coast  line  and  the  shining  waves  of  the  great  Pacific 
Ocean  are  visible  at  the  horizon's  limit.  The  snowy 
mountains,  dark  woods,  and  wild  canons  contrast 
with  cultivated  slopes,  beautiful  meadows,  and 
flower-gardens  in  a  picture  of  natural  loveliness, 
which  is  not  rivalled  even  in  this  land  of  pictur- 
esque beauty.  Mr.  Smiley  found  this  place  —  which 
once  belonged  to  an  old  college  friend  of  my  own, 
for  many  years  a  missionary  in  California  —  in  his 
journeys  in  behalf  of  the  Indian  tribes  of  our  land. 
It  is  a  fitting  reward  of  his  philanthropy,  that  he 
should  own  such  a  delightful  winter  ranch  as  one 
result  of  his  labors.  Our  days  in  Pasadena  and  its 
neighborhood  were  filled  with  pleasures.  But  spring 
was  advancing,  and  we  were  forced  to  leave  one  beau- 
tiful spot  after  another,  not  because  their  treasures 
were  exhausted,  but  in  deference  to  that  foe  to  all 
idle  travellers,  the  plan  of  our  journey.  Sometime  I 
mean  to  travel  without  a  plan. 


XIV 
SANTA   BARBARA 

BEAUTIFUL      FOR      SITUATION AN      EARTHQUAKE THE 

TALE     OF     A     PATRON     SAINT  FIRST     IMPRESSIONS  

A     PLACID     TOWN  —  NATURAL     BEAUTIES — A     WINTER 
VIEW 

Santa  Barbara  has  been  described  as  resting  her 
head  upon  the  Santa  Ynez  Mountains,  and  bathing 
her  feet  in  the  blue  Pacific,  and  the  description, 
though  poetical,  is  accurate;  for  the  town  extends 
along  a  valley  which  lies  directly  between  lofty 
mountains  and  a  low  line  of  hills,  and  reaches  down 
to  the  sea.  The  main  street  of  the  town  runs  through 
this  valley,  from  the  beach  to  the  foot-hills  of  the 
mountains. 

The  county,  of  the  same  name  with  the  town,  is  a 
section  embracing  that  part  of  the  coast  of  California 
which  runs  east  and  west  for  about  seventy  miles, 
and  is  of  a  width  of  thirty-five  miles  from  north  to 
south.  The  exceptional  climate  of  Santa  Barbara  is 
due  to  this  curvature  of  the  coast,  to  the  parallel 
range  of  mountains  which  keep  off  the  north  winds, 
to  a  group  of  islands  lying  about  twenty  miles  from 
shore,  which  shield  it  from  ocean  storms,  and  to  warm 
currents  of  the   Pacific.     The  southern  part  of  the 

82 


SANTA    BARBARA  83 

county,  forming  the  Santa  Barbara  valley,  includes 
a  number  of  smaller  valleys  or  canons,  Carpinteria, 
Montecito,  Goleta,  and  Ellwood,  and  contains  some- 
what more  than  one  hundred  thousand  acres. 

The  ride  from  Los  Angeles  to  Santa  Barbara  by 
rail  is  very  beautiful.  The  latter  part  is  along  the 
ocean  shore,  and  the  views  of  the  blue  sea  upon  one 
side,  and  into  green  valleys  decorated  with  masses 
of  yellow  and  blue  and  pink  flowers  upon  the  other, 
were  enchanting.  One  experience  of  the  journey 
was  novel  and  startling.  The  train,  after  passing 
through  a  long  tunnel,  was  waiting  the  arrival  of 
another  train  from  Santa  Barbara,  and  the  passengers 
were  lunching  and  walking  around,  when  suddenly 
the  cars  rocked  to  and  fro  as  if  they  were  going  at 
rapid  speed  on  a  curve,  the  chimney  of  the  dining- 
room  in  the  station  at  Saugus  fell  down,  the  glasses 
danced  on  the  shelves  and  table,  and  everybody 
started  with  a  nameless  fear.  Some  thought  an 
explosion  had  taken  place,  and  others  ascribed  it  to 
the  wind,  but  residents  of  California  recognized  an 
undesirable  acquaintance  in  the  earthquake.  Look- 
ing up  towards  the  hills,  little  clouds  of  what  seemed 
to  be  brown  smoke  were  seen.  In  reality  these  were 
clouds  of  dust  which  rose  from  the  crevices  and  fis- 
sures in  the  ground,  caused  by  the  seismic  move- 
ment. The  shocks  were  slight  and  lasted  only  a 
few  seconds,  but  they  were  long  enough  to  recall  the 
Scripture :  "  He  looketh  on  the  earth  and  it  trem- 
bleth;  He  toucheth  the  hills  and  they  smoke." 

There  is  a  sketch  of  Santa  Barbara,  written  from 
a  strictly  ecclesiastical  point  of  view,  by  a  Roman 


84  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Catholic  priest,  which  gives  with  painstaking  detail, 
a  biography  of  Saint  Barbara,  from  whom  the  town 
is  named.  She  is  said  to  have  been  a  very  beauti- 
ful daughter  of  a  tyrannous  Nicomedian,  named 
Dioscorus,  who  was  a  satellite  of  the  Roman  Emperor 
Maximin.  He  hated  and  persecuted  the  Christians, 
and  when  his  daughter,  who  had  been  taught  by  the 
famous  Origen,  implored  him  to  have  compassion 
on  them,  he  discovered  that  she,  too,  had  become  a 
Christian.  Full  of  fury,  he  threw  her  into  prison. 
But,  according  to  our  author,  Barbara  "preferred  a 
martyr's  crown  to  a  retraction  of  her  vows  and  her 
religion."  She  was  condemned  to  death,  and  while 
being  tortured  had  a  heavenly  vision,  and  seemed 
to  have  passed  away.  But  as  she  revived,  her 
cruel  father  drew  his  sword  and  cut  off  her  head, 
upon  which  lightning  and  thunder  burst  forth,  des- 
troying Dioscorus  and  the  nefarious  executioner. 
Father  Gollell  states  that  the  head  of  Saint  Barbara 
may  be  found  preserved  as  a  relic  for  veneration  in 
the  temple  of  All  Saints  in  Rome,  and  that  she  is 
the  patroness  of  artillery,  "for  if  by  flashes  of  flame 
and  thunders  the  heavens  defended  her  honor,  with 
the  booming  and  belching  of  cannon  may  they,  too, 
repulse  the  attacks  of  unjust  enemies."  Thus  far 
from  the  lives  of  the  saints!  The  Spaniards  evi- 
dently believed  the  tradition,  and  gave  the  saint's 
name  to  the  lovely  town,  which  has  an  ideal  situa- 
tion on  the  gentle  slope  between  the  stately  moun- 
tains and  the  calm  sea.  The  tops  of  these  mountains 
in  the  winter  sometimes  have  a  crown  of  snow,  in 
the  spring  the  verdure  is  rich  and  velvety,  and  then 
a  gray  mantle  covers  the  landscape. 


SANTA   BARBARA  85 

Our  first  days  in  the  place  were  disappointing.  It 
was  April,  and  we  expected  sunshine  and  warmth, 
but  in  their  place  we  had  fog  and  cold.  After  a  few 
days  of  this  sort  the  sun  shone  out,  and  thereafter 
mild  airs  and  bright  sunshine  were  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  weather.  Then  we  began  to  enter  into 
the  quiet  beauty  of  the  place,  and  to  enjoy  the  serene 
influences  which  seemed  to  distil  upon  brain  and 
nerves,  from  the  deep  blue  sea  with  the  dim  outline 
of  the  distant  islands,  the  restful  strength  of  the 
verdure-clad  mountains,  and  the  fruitful  hills  and 
valleys  near  the  town.  Everything  in  Nature  in- 
vited to  repose  and  calm  enjoyment.  No  noisy  cars 
pervaded  the  streets;  pavements,  except  one  long 
stretch  of  smooth  asphalt,  are  unknown ;  the  daily 
train  which  came  and  went  from  the  town,  and  the 
occasional  arrival  at  the  pier  of  a  coast  steamer,  were 
the  chief  events.  A  wreck,  twenty  miles  away,  was 
the  great  excitement  of  our  visit,  and  the  rescued 
sailors,  when  they  were  brought  to  Santa  Barbara, 
occupied  the  attention  of  the  citizens  for  a  week. 
The  approaching  floral  festival  gave  pleasant  occupa- 
tion to  residents  and  visitors,  and  simple  enjoyments 
filled  the  passing  days.  We  could  have  been  con- 
tent to  live  this  calm,  sweet  life  while  months  drifted 
placidly  along,  if  there  had  been  no  calls  from  the 
outside  world,  and  it  was  difficult  not  to  envy  the 
happy  lot  of  some  friends  who  had  found  here  those 
earthly  moorings  which  will  not  be  slipped  till  they 
sail  forth  at  the  Master's  bidding  on  that  unknown 
sea  which  rolls  round  all  the  world. 

We  had  been  told  that  Santa  Barbara  would  re- 


86  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

mind  us  of  Nice,  but  the  resemblance  is  slight. 
There  is  a  curving  shore,  and  a  blue  sea,  and  a  mild 
climate,  and  the  flowers  and  fruits  which  grow  in 
such  an  atmosphere  as  both  places  possess.  But 
there  is  none  of  the  fashion  and  folly  at  the  Cali- 
fornia resort  which  make  Nice  so  attractive  and 
exciting  to  those  who  love  society  and  gayety. 
Santa  Barbara  is  as  simple  in  its  life  and  manners  as 
a  New  England  village;  there  is  no  Monte  Carlo 
near  at  hand  to  cast  its  baleful  shadow  over  social 
life,  and  no  foreign  nobles  to  set  an  example  of 
extravagance  and  dissipation  to  an  indolent  and 
yet  restless  community.  There  are  none  of  the  arti- 
ficial improvements  and  expensive  enjoyments  which 
characterize  the  great  resort  of  the  Riviera  to  be 
found  in  this  salubrious  valley,  where  walks  and 
drives  and  picnics  are  the  healthful  pleasures  which 
occupy  the  time  of  residents  and  guests.  The  toAvn 
has  one  long  and  wide  street,  which  begins  at  the 
shore  and  ends  in  the  midst  of  fields  and  gardens ; 
and  this  is  crossed  at  right  angles  by  a  number  of 
other  streets.  These  are  shaded  with  rows  of  pepper 
and  eucalyptus  trees,  and  the  houses  stand  in  gardens 
and  groves.  The  few  stores,  hotels,  and  churches 
are  in  the  lower  part  of  the  place ;  and  as  the  ground 
rises  from  the  water,  it  is  occupied  with  private 
dwellings,  a  few  of  which  are  built  on  separate  hills, 
with  some  architectural  elegance,  and  surrounded 
with  choice  gardens.  Every  garden  has  its  wealth 
of  shrubs  and  trees ;  roses  and  geraniums  and  helio- 
tropes, which  grow  like  moderate-sized  trees,  are 
formed  into  hedges,  or  trained  as  vines  to  cover  the 


SANTA    BARBARA  87 

houses.  Palms  and  camphor  trees  and  shrubs, 
which  in  New  York  are  nursed  in  green-houses,  flour- 
ish on  the  lawns,  and  the  greatest  variety  of  fragrant 
flowers  embower  and  beautify  and  perfume  the 
place.  These  natural  beauties  are  due,  in  large 
measure,  to  the  evenness  as  well  as  to  the  mildness 
of  the  climate,  and  to  the  taste  and  cultivation  of  the 
inhabitants.  The  sun  never  smites  the  place  with 
scorching  heat;  tornadoes  and  tempests,  with  deso- 
lating winds  and  lightning  strokes,  do  not  devastate 
the  groves  and  gardens ;  even  the  rains,  which  come 
in  torrents  on  some  parts  of  the  Pacific  coast,  fall 
more  gently  here,  and  winter  is  the  loveliest  part  of 
the  year,  by  the  testimony  of  all  who  have  lived  in 
Santa  Barbara  from  November  to  May.  "  This  is  the 
twelfth  of  January,"'  writes  a  winter  resident,  "an 
average  Santa  Barbara  day.  Sitting  in  my  room, 
with  doors  and  windows  open,  I  see  ever  blooming 
gardens  in  every  direction,  and  hear  the  birds  sing- 
ing in  the  warm  sunshine.  Through  my  north  win- 
dow I  see  the  foot-hills  in  their  coat  of  verdure,  while 
through  my  south  window  I  see  the  grand  old  Pacific 
dotted  with  the  Channel  Islands,  and  the  balmy 
sea-breeze  brings  with  it  the  murmur  of  the  waves 
as  they  break  upon  the  hard  sand  of  the  broad  beach 
a  mile  away.  In  the  gardens  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  can  be  found  lilies,  heliotropes,  fuchsias, 
carnations,  and  fifty  other  rare  and  beautiful  flowers ; 
three  hundred  different  kinds  of  roses ;  almond  trees 
with  their  snowy  blossoms,  and  orange  and  lemon 
trees  laden  with  their  golden  fruit.  A  stroll  to  the 
canons  would   reveal    myriads  of  delicately  colored 


88  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

wild  flowers,  and  the  farmers  could  be  seen  turning 
the  rich  soil,  making  ready  for  planting." 

This  is  a  winter  sketch  of  Santa  Barbara,  when 
the  rains  come  sometimes  for  several  days  at  a  time, 
but  generally  in  showers  and  at  night,  clearing  off 
bright  and  warm  during  the  day,  so  that  in  all  the 
rainy  season  there  are  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve 
rainy  days.  Then  the  hills  are  clothed  with  green, 
the  landscape  is  aflame  with  the  brilliant  wild  flowers, 
the  birds  sing  their  sweetest  songs,  and  it  is  a  de- 
light to  roam  over  grassy  hills,  explore  wooded 
canons,  and  sit  and  rest  by  the  brook  which  flows 
from  the  mountain-side.  Who  would  not  rather 
spend  winter  in  such  a  place  than  among  the  ice  and 
snow  of  northern  lands  ? 


XV 
ROMAN   CATHOLIC   MISSIONS 

THE      PADRES     AND     THEIR     WORK THE     PRESIDIO     AND 

THE    CHURCH HOW   THE    MISSIONS    GREW A    SHORT, 

SAD    HISTORY  THE    LESSONS    OF    THE    PAST 

The  Spanish  missions  in  California  were  organized 
from  1769,  and  were  established  chiefly  in  fruitful 
valleys  along  the  coast  from  San  Diego  to  Monterey. 
The  fathers  usually  made  their  selections  of  sites  in 
localities  which  had  been  previously  chosen  by  the 
native  Indians.  They  were  led  to  do  this  by  their 
appreciation  of  the  knowledge  which  the  natives  had 
of  the  best  parts  of  the  country,  and  by  their  pious 
desire  to  be  near  to  the  settlements  of  those  whom 
they  desired  to  convert.  Thus  at  San  Diego,  at  San 
Juan  Capistrano,  at  San  Luis  Re}r,  and  San  Gabriel, 
as  well  as  at  Santa  Barbara,  San  Fernando,  San  Luis 
Obispo,  San  Jose\  and  Monterey,  they  built  their 
massive  adobe  churches  and  monasteries,  hung  on 
wooden  frameworks  their  sweet-toned  Spanish  bells, 
and  began  their  work  of  tilling  the  soil  and  subju- 
gating the  Indians  by  their  peaceful  arts. 

Most  of  the  mission  buildings  in  California  were 
arranged  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square.  The  church 
building  formed  one  side  of  the  court  or  enclosure, 

89 


90  BEYOND  THE   ROCKIES 

and  a  long  corridor  supported  by  stone  pillars  and 
covered  by  a  tiled  roof,  the  other.  The  two  remain- 
ing sides  were  made  up  of  dormitories,  storehouses, 
and  workshops  built  against  a  high  adobe  Avail. 
These  buildings  were  a  long  time  in  construction, 
for  there  were  few  workers  but  unskilled  Indians, 
who  knew  only  how  to  build  their  own  rude  huts; 
and  the  wood  used  in  construction  had  to  be  brought 
from  the  mountains  miles  away. 

The  chief  feature  of  these  buildings  is  their  mas- 
sive character,  which  shows  that  they  were  intended 
for  places  of  defence,  as  well  as  for  religious  educa- 
tion. Most  of  these  buildings  are  now  in  ruins,  the 
open  arches  surround  neglected  court-yards  over- 
grown with  weeds  and  wild  flowers,  and  some  of  the 
deserted  rooms  of  the  padres  are  used  as  stables  for 
asses.  The  orchards  and  vineyards  which  the  Catho- 
lic priests  planted  a  hundred  years  ago  are  wild  and 
unfruitful,  and  years  of  abandonment  have  destroyed 
these  reminders  of  the  early  settlement  of  California, 
almost  beyond  restoration.  To  the  artist  who  was 
our  companion  in  travel,  this  outward  ruin  only  made 
the  missions  more  picturesque,  and  his  paintings 
more  valuable,  and  the  younger  members  of  the  party 
found  the  moonlight  more  attractive  in  a  dilapidated 
mission,  than  upon  a  hotel  piazza.  But  it  was  sad 
to  reflect  upon  such  results  from  so  much  zeal  and 
devotion.  The  padres  are  gone,  and  their  work  for 
the  Indians  of  these  regions  seems  like  water  spilled 
upon  the  ground;  the  missions  are  mostly  falling  to 
decay,  and,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  there  is  little 
promise  that  they  will  ever   be  revived  or  rebuilt. 


IJL^Vw IS** 


BELFRY    OF    SAN    GABRIEL    MISSION 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC   MISSIONS  91 

This  conclusion  is  the  sadder  when  we  reflect  that 
no  arbitrary  measures  and  no  tyranny  of  conquest 
were  employed  to  civilize  and  Christianize  these 
people.  The  relation  of  the  missionaries  to  the 
Indians  was  always  paternal.  They  were,  indeed, 
made  to  labor,  and  in  time  their  position  differed  lit- 
tle from  that  of  slaves,  but  they  were  willing  slaves. 
They  had  cabins  in  villages  near  the  missions,  and 
were  employed  on  large  farms  and  vineyards  and 
olive  groves.  Every  morning  they  were  gathered 
at  sunrise  in  the  church  to  hear  mass,  and  then  after 
breakfast  they  went  forth  to  work.  Following  the 
Spanish  habit,  which  is  well  adapted  to  the  country, 
they  rested  three  hours  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and 
then  worked  till  an  hour  before  sunset.  Then  the 
evening  bell  summoned  the  laborers  to  their  supper 
and  to  another  service.  Thus  the  days  passed  in 
constant,  but  not  exhausting,  labor.  The  fathers 
taught  them  simple  rules  of  faith  and  duty,  exhorted 
them  to  industry  and  fidelity,  and  gave  rewards  to 
the  best  and  most  conscientious  workers.  The  rule 
of  the  priests  was  beneficial  so  long  as  it  lasted,  but 
it  left  no  permanent  impress  upon  the  people.  A 
round  of  formal  services,  united  with  abundant  ex- 
hortation, is  not  enough  to  lift  a  nation  of  heathen. 
The  Indians  knew  that  while  the  fathers  were  kind 
to  them,  it  was  that  the}'  might  use  them  to  enrich 
their  order  and  enlarge  their  influence  in  the  land. 
They  gave  them  service  for  what  they  got,  but  few 
gave  any  love ;  and  when  the  time  of  persecution 
came,  they  fell  away  from  those  who  had  proved 
themselves  only  selfish  benefactors. 


92  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Carmel  Mission  at  Monterey  has  been  restored, 
and  the  Santa  Barbara  Mission  has  been  repaired  in 
recent  years.  The  history  of  the  latter  is  of  interest, 
and  it  has  been  for  a  number  of  years  a  place  of  spe- 
cial attraction  to  the  numerous  strangers  who  spend 
their  winters  upon  the  California  coast.  Father 
Junipero  Serra,  whose  name  will  always  be  held  in 
sweet  remembrance  by  the  Catholics  of  California, 
chose  Santa  Barbara  for  a  Presidio  and  Mission,  and 
in  April,  1782,  he  placed  a  cross  there  and  blessed 
it.  Four  years  later,  in  1786,  the  foundation  of  a 
church  was  laid  by  his  successor,  which  was  not  com- 
pleted till  1794.  The  present  structures  were  not 
all  finished  till  1820.  The  mission  then  stood  in 
the  midst  of  an  Indian  village ;  on  one  side  was  a 
large  and  well  cultivated  garden,  and  beyond  a  rich 
vineyard.  Large  and  fertile  farms,  belonging  to  the 
Franciscans,  stretched  towards  the  sea  and  up  the 
canons  into  the  mountains.  From  these  mountains 
a  stone  aqueduct  brought  down  the  waters  of  a 
mountain  stream,  which  was  led  through  carved  stone 
fountains  in  front  of  the  church  into  a  large  and 
deep  reservoir.  There  were  bath-houses  and  grist- 
mills and  Avorkshops  supplied  with  water  by  the 
aqueducts,  and  storehouses  for  the  many  products 
of  the  orchards  and  fields.  Statues  of  the  saints 
and  apostles  ornamented  the  church,  and  numer- 
ous crosses  were  placed  upon  different  parts  of  the 
building.  Time  has  dealt  ruthlessly  with  these 
decorations,  and  though  the  mission  buildings  are 
complete  to-day,  they  are  plain  and  unattractive. 
But  the  situation  is  unrivalled.     From  the  piazza  in 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC    MISSIONS  93 

front  of  the  church,  or,  better  still,  from  the  belfry, 
a  superb  view  of  the  mountains,  the  foot-hills,  the 
lowlands,  and  the  picturesque  town,  the  beach,  the 
blue  channel  of  Santa  Barbara,  and  the  distant  islands 
which  form  a  kind  of  breakwater  for  the  surges  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  can  be  seen  to  great  advantage. 
Here,  when  the  Angelus  rings  out  for  morning  or 
evening  prayer,  a  few  priests  dressed  in  coarse  rus- 
set robes,  with  a  cord  around  the  waist,  and  sandalled 
feet,  enter  the  church  and  go  through  a  perfunctory 
routine  of  worship.  At  other  times  they  milk  their 
kine,  and  cultivate  in  a  rude  fashion  the  once  beau- 
tiful garden,  or  they  take  male  strangers  through  the 
building,  and  humbly  accept  the  trifling  fee  which' 
American  charity  bestows  upon  the  successors  of  the 
rich  and  powerful  order  of  Spanish  priests  who 
once  ruled  in  luxury  and  pomp  upon  these  shores. 

The  story  of  their  downfall  is  a  short  one.  In 
1822  the  Mexican  government  passed  a  law  which 
set  the  Indians  at  liberty,  and  suspended  the  reve- 
nues of  the  priests.  The  act  was  repealed  a  year 
later,  but  the  priests  had  taken  the  alarm,  dismantled 
their  churches,  and  fled.  In  1833  the  decree  of 
secularization  was  passed.  This  converted  the  mis- 
sions into  secular  curacies,  leaving  to  the  priests  a 
house,  and  removing  the  fathers.  Then  the  missions 
were  handed  over  to  commissioners,  and  the  lands 
ordered  to  be  colonized.  In  1837  the  usurping  gov- 
ernor, Don  Alvarado,  plundered  the  missions,  de- 
stroying some  of  them.  A  number  of  unsuccessful 
efforts  were  made  to  restore  the  clergy  to  their  tem- 
poralities, and  in  1842  the  Pope  made  California  a 


94  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

bishopric ;  while  a  year  afterwards  the  governor  of 
the  state  authorized  the  restoration  of  the  missions. 
But  most  of  the  churches  had  been  destroyed,  many 
had  been  sold,  the  lands  had  passed  into  other  hands, 
the  day  of  the  missions  was  over,  and  they  are  now 
only  parish  churches.  The  lesson  is  instructive. 
It  is  written  all  over  the  history  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church.  It  can  be  read  in  Rome  itself,  which 
within  the  memory  of  some  of  us  was  the  intolerant, 
proud,  and  tyrannous  capital  of  an  ecclesiastical 
state.  Wherever  the  Church  turns  from  its  legiti- 
mate work  of  preaching  the  Gospel  and  nurturing  the 
flock  of  Christ,  to  aggrandize  its  ministers,  to  admin- 
ister civil  government,  and  to  acquire  political  power, 
it  parts  company  with  its  Great  Founder,  who  said: 
"My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  Rome  has 
never  learned  this  text,  and  all  her  acquisitions, 
intrigues,  and  alliances,  do  but  conduct  her  to  an 
ultimate  and  disastrous  downfall.  In  the  days  of 
her  humble  missionaries,  she  has  often  been  an  hon- 
ored and  useful  instrument  of  divine  Providence  in 
leading  people  out  of  a  gross  darkness ;  but  when  in 
her  pride  and  power  she  has  sought  to  rule  the 
nations,  and  make  war  in  the  name  of  Christ,  ruin 
and  desolation  have  come  upon  her. 

Sitting  on  the  low  platform  in  front  of  the  church, 
and  gazing  over  the  town  to  the  sea,  in  the  spring 
of  the  Columbian  year,  I  have  often  thought  how 
different  would  have  been  the  history  of  our  land, 
had  the  power  of  Spain  or  France  fastened  a  Roman 
Catholic  priesthood  upon  the  territory  of  the  United 
States;  and  have  thanked  God  for  the  sturdy  Prot- 


ROMAN    CATHOLIC    MISSIONS  95 

estantism  which  was  permitted  to  found  our  institu- 
tions and  secure  our  liberties.  If  we  fully  compre- 
hended the  blessing  that  we  have  received,  and  the 
dangers  which  we  have  escaped  through  such  a 
providential  guidance,  we  would  be  more  vigilant 
and  faithful! 


XVI 
FLOWER  FESTIVAL  AT  SANTA  BARBARA 

MULTITUDES    OF    FLOWERS  TEN    THOUSAND    ROSES    OX    A 

CARRIAGE A     FLOWER     DANCE  —  THE     FLORAL     PRO- 
CESSION  THE    MAYOR'S    PROCLAMATION 

Horticulture  in  the  Santa  Barbara  valley  is  a 
profitable  industry.  Flowers  grow  here  with  a  pro- 
fusion and  beauty  in  size  and  shape  unknown  else- 
where, flowering  vines  climb  and  cover  trees  fifty  feet 
in  height.  Fuchsias  have  the  proportions  of  trees, 
and  beds  of  tulips  and  lilies  and  marigolds  cover 
acres.  The  cultivated  plants  are  manifold,  and  the 
wild  flowers  beyond  enumeration.  I  have  counted 
seventy  different  species  collected  in  a  morning  walk, 
and  the  fields  and  mountain-sides  are  often  purple 
with  lupines,  yellow  with  daisies,  orange  with  the 
beautiful  California  poppies,  deep  blue  with  the  wild 
onion  blossom,  or  light  blue  with  the  lovely  baby- 
blue-eyes.  The  common  grass  seems  of  a  brighter 
shade  of  green,  and  the  plumes  of  the  feathery  pampas 
nowhere  wave  with  such  grace  and  luxuriance. 

It  is  not  wonderful,  then,  that  the  residents  of  such 
a  flower-garden  should  delight  in  floral  displays,  and 
that  in  the  early  spring,  when  Nature  is  most  lavish 
of  these  favors,  they  should  have  a  festival  and  dedi- 

96 


FLOWER    FESTIVAL   AT    SANTA   BARBARA  97 

cate  some  days  to  the  floral  deity.  In  1893,  the  flower 
festival  occupied  four  days,  and  every  endeavor  was 
made  to  make  it  more  perfect  and  attractive  than 
those  which  had  preceded  it.  Exhibitions  have  been 
held  for  many  years,  but  the  first  great  festival  was 
held  when  President  Harrison  visited  the  Pacific 
coast.  This  was  so  successful  that  it  was  determined 
to  make  it  a  yearly  attraction  at  Santa  Barbara.  In 
1892  the  second  festival  brought  a  large  concourse 
of  visitors,  and  its  success  was  complete.  The  profu- 
sion of  flowers  was  overwhelming.  Ten  thousand 
fine  roses  were  used  in  decorating  a  single  vehicle. 
A  long  procession  of  carriages,  hidden  beneath  masses 
of  flowers,  and  filled  with  beautiful  ladies  in  tasteful 
and  appropriate  costumes,  made  a  charming  scene. 
The  festival  was  opened  by  a  "dance  of  the  flowers," 
in  which  twenty-eight  young  ladies,  each  personat- 
ing a  flower,  entered  in  sets  of  four,  and  to  soft 
music  went  through  graceful  movements.  After 
their  simple  dance,  they  advanced  to  the  platform, 
where  were  seated  the  invited  guests,  and  laid  at 
their  feet  garlands  and  wreaths. 

In  order  to  make  the  festival  even  more  attractive 
the  present  year,  the  Flower  Festival  Association  was 
organized.  Its  aim  was  not  to  make  money,  but  to 
make  the  festival  more  beautiful,  and  all  the  receipts 
were  used  to  make  the  floral  display  more  complete ; 
in  short,  to  develop  and  foster  a  love  for  the  beauti- 
ful. Prizes  were  offered  for  the  most  artistic  deco- 
rations, and  the  most  prominent  people  among  the 
residents  and  visitors  gave  flowers  and  labor  and 
enthusiasm,  to  produce  a  memorable  festival.     The 


98  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

shopkeepers  entered  into  the  plan  with  alacrity,  and 
vied  with  each  other  in  the  decoration  of  their  build- 
ings and  windows.  One  store  was  covered  with  calla 
lilies  tastefully  arranged  in  wire  nets ;  another  was 
hung  with  wreaths  of  oranges  and  lemons ;  others 
displayed  columns  of  palm  branches  and  arches  of 
roses,  exquisite  arrangements  of  pampas  plumes  and 
fleurs  de  lis,  and  elaborate  designs  in  all  the  colors 
of  the  floral  treasury  of  the  place.  When  the  pro- 
cession moved  up  State  Street,  it  passed  between 
rows  of  buildings  adorned  and  decorated  with  flowers 
and  fruits,  an  architectural  vista  such  as  was  never 
seen  in  any  town  on  earth  before. 

The  procession  had  been  preceded  by  a  rose  show 
and  exhibition  of  flowers  in  the  Pavilion,  the  chief 
assembly-room  of  the  place.  Besides  the  wonderful 
display  of  roses  here,  there  were  many  beautiful  and 
artistic  combinations  of  plants  and  flowers  which 
delighted  the  crowds  of  visitors  for  many  hours. 
Another  feature  of  the  festival  was  a  series  of  tour- 
naments and  games,  and  a  flower  festival  ball,  but 
the  interest  of  the  occasion  centred  upon  the  grand 
floral  procession  of  decorated  vehicles,  and  the  battle 
of  flowers,  both  of  which  took  place  upon  the  second 
day.  The  procession  moved  up  State  Street  through 
the  lines  of  decorated  stores,  to  the  upper  end,  where 
seats  had  been  provided  for  about  two  thousand 
people.  These  were  well  occupied,  and  each  party 
had  brought  huge  baskets  filled  with  small  bouquets, 
with  which  to  engage  in  battle. 

First  came  the  marshals  on  prancing  steeds,  whose 
saddles    and  bridles  were  covered  thick  with  mari- 


FLOWER    FESTIVAL   AT   SANTA    BARBARA  99 

golds,  or  daisies,  or  purple  Brotlea,  or  roses,  accord- 
ing to  the  owner's  fancy.  They  were  followed  by  a 
military  band,  which  enlivened  the  occasion  with 
frequent  music.  Next  came  a  large  float  trimmed 
with  roses  and  smilax,  all  of  its  sides  being  thus 
draped.  On  a  bed  of  white  flowers  were  four  conch 
shells  of  pink  roses,  in  which  sat  four  little  children 
representing  the  four  seasons  —  Spring  with  a  green 
dress  and  fruit  blossoms;  Summer  in  a  pink  dress, 
with  roses  to  match;  Autumn  in  a  yellow  dress, 
with  fruit,  red  poppies,  and  grain;  and  Winter  in  a 
white  dress,  with  swan's  down  and  white  pampas 
plumes.  The  next  in  order  was  an  elegant  float 
entirely  formed  of  marguerites  and  cypress,  and  on 
this  rested  a  boat  completely  covered  with  margue- 
rites, as  were  also  the  oars  and  rudder,  and  the 
anchor  and  chain  at  the  bow.  Eight  fine  grays,  with 
Russian  collars  of  the  same  flowers,  drew  this  device, 
which  contained  a  charming  family  group. 

A  large  Yosemite  coach,  drawn  by  six  prancing 
black  horses,  was  also  decorated  with  these  daisies, 
more  than  seventy-five  thousand  being  used  for  the 
purpose.  The  harness  and  four  outriders  on  gray 
horses  were  adorned  in  the  same  style.  Following 
this  was  a  farm  wagon,  whose  sides  were  covered 
with  the  purple  flowers  of  the  wild  onion.  It  looked 
like  a  mass  of  violets.  Four  snowy  mules,  trimmed 
with  lilac  and  purple,  drew  this  vehicle,  which  was 
filled  with  ladies  and  gentlemen  dressed  to  represent 
Spanish  peasants.  Then  came  the  Monitor,  a  boat 
made  of  calla  lilies,  its  rail  formed  of  wistaria,  and 
a  turret  of  Duchess  roses.     This  turret  revolved,  and 


100  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

seven  little  lads  in  sailor  costume  kept  up  a  constant 
fire  of  flowers,  which  was  returned  with  interest  by 
the  spectators.  A  tropical  scene  represented  the 
landing  of  Columbus.  Palms  and  cacti  and  wild 
vines  covered  the  island  upon  which  Columbus  was 
landing,  and  the  whole  effect  was  very  realistic. 
There  was  a  Washington  coach  of  the  olden  time, 
with  powdered  dames  and  Continental  soldiers  inside, 
while  the  outside  was  hung  with  garlands  of  wis- 
taria and  Duchess  roses,  which  blended  with  the  tree 
moss  that  covered  the  coach  panels.  The  wheels 
were  solid  with  moss  and  great  bunches  of  roses 
formed  the  hubs. 

There  was  another  coach  trimmed  with  pampas 
plumes  of  white,  and  a  caleche  enveloped  in  similar 
plumes,  dyed  pink;  a  lovely  phaeton  covered  with 
Beauty  of  Glazenwood  roses,  each  wheel  represent- 
ing an  immense  rose ;  a  surrey  which  was  one  solid 
mass  of  marigolds,  drawn  by  two  jet-black  horses 
with  marigold  harnesses  and  reins;  a  carriage  of 
calla  lilies  and  green  ferns ;  another  covered  with 
ivy  and  nasturtium  vines  interwoven ;  a  wagonette 
entirely  composed  of  white  marguerites,  in  which 
rode  a  beautiful  mother  and  three  lovehy  children ;  a 
carriage  of  red  geraniums,  and  another  of  red  and 
white  carnations.  There  were  men  and  women  on 
horses  whose  trappings  were  all  made  of  wreaths  and 
garlands,  and  men  on  bicycles  covered  with  roses 
and  daisies  and  marigolds.  The  decorations  were  in 
very  great  variety,  and  showed,  in  general,  excellent 
taste. 

For  two  hours,   these  gayly  decorated  equipages 


FLOWER   FESTIVAL    AT    SANTA   BARBARA       101 

moved  up  and  down  the  promenade,  and  for  most  of 
this  time  the  air  was  full  of  flying  bouquets  from 
spectators  to  exhibitors  in  a  pleasant  battle,  till  the 
roadway  was  as  deeply  covered  with  flowers  as  our 
Northern  streets  are  with  the  driving  snow  in  a  win- 
ter's storm.  At  last  the  prizes  were  all  assigned,  the 
flower  baskets  were  empty,  and  amidst  cheers  and  con- 
gratulations, the  beautiful  procession  broke  up  its 
line,  and  drove  off  to  the  various  homes  of  the  per- 
formers. 

We  have  been  in  Nice  at  the  annual  battle  of 
flowers,  and  also  at  Marseilles,  and  several  times  in 
Paris,  but  for  profusion  of  flowers,  variety  and  elab- 
oration of  design,  and  simple  beauty,  the  Santa 
Barbara  festival  surpassed  them  all.  It  was  a  lovely 
sight,  and  as  "a  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  forever,"  it 
will  always  remain  a  pleasant  memory  among  many 
others  of  this  delightful  town.  Great  crowds  came 
to  enjoy  the  festival  from  all  parts  of  California,  and 
many  tourists  arranged  to  be  at  Santa  Barbara  dur- 
ing this  week.  Eveiy  hotel  was  full  to  overflowing, 
and  many  private  families  had  their  houses  full  of 
guests.  As  there  is  still  a  rough  element  in  Cali- 
fornia, the  residuum  of  its  population  in  the  mining 
days,  some  apprehension  is  naturally  felt  in  view 
of  large  and  unusual  gatherings.  Such  a  feeling 
must  have  influenced  the  mayor  to  issue  the  fol- 
lowing proclamation,  which  sounded  strangely  to 
our  Eastern  ears.  Perhaps,  however,  the  mayor 
knew  better  than  we  did  what  he  was  talking 
about : — 


102  beyond  the  rockies 

"  Notice. 

"  Mayor's  Office,  ) 
"  Santa  Barbara,  April  7,  1893.  \ 

"  W.    W.    Hopkins,    Marshal   of  the   city    of  Santa 
Barbara : 

"  Sin :  You  will  use  every  effort  and  means  in 
your  power  and  at  your  command,  to  keep  out 
of  Santa  Barbara  all  confidence  operators,  thieves, 
thugs,  house-breakers,  sneaks,  pickpockets,  moll- 
buzzers,  burglars,  gopher-blowers,  tramps,  and  their 
ilk. 

"  Should  any  of  the  above-enumerated  characters 
get  into  the  city,  you  will  cause  their  immediate 
arrest,  and  hold  until  train  time;  then  escort  to  the 
train  with  the  admonition  that,  should  they  return, 
they  will  be  given  the  butt  end  of  the  law.  Should 
they  return,  arrest,  and  place  against  them  a  charge 
of  vagrancy. 

"  In  other  words,  if  necessity  demands,  exceed 
your  authority  in  giving  protection  to  our  people, 
and  our  officials  and  citizens  will  uphold  you. 

"You  will  use  more  than  ordinary  caution  and 
diligence  in  having  a  general  supervision  over  street 
fakirs. 

"You  will  instruct  your  specials  to  give  every 
protection,  not  only  to  citizens,  but  to  guests  and 
strangers  within  our  city. 

"  You  will  instruct  all  specials  to  extend  every 
courtesy  to  visitors ;  giving  prompt  aid  when  called 
upon,  and  immediate  response  to  all  information 
asked  of  them,  keeping  in  mind  that  the  very  repu- 


FLOWER    FESTIVAL    AT    SANTA    BARBARA       103 

tation  of  our  fair  city  is  in  your  hands  and  in  the 
hands  of  your  officers.      ,  Respectfully? 

"E.  W.  Gaty,  Mayors 

I  did  not  see  a  single  "moll-buzzer,"  "gopher- 
blower,"  or  "street  fakir "  in  Santa  Barbara  during 
my  whole  sojourn  there,  and  I  attribute  it  to  this 
proclamation,  and  wholesome  fear  of  "  the  butt  end 
of  the  law." 


XVII 
PLEASURE-DAYS   AT   SANTA    BARBARA 

THE    MISSION    CANON A    PICNIC     AT    ELLWOOD MONTE 

CITO     AND     ITS     GARDENS THE      HOT      SPRINGS THE 

OJAI    VALLEY   AND    SAN    MARCOS    PASS 

Many  delightful  excursions  can  be  made  from 
Santa  Barbara.  Some  of  the  pleasantest  are  those 
to  the  canons,  the  heights  of  the  Santa  Ynez  range, 
and  the  ranches  whose  hospitable  proprietors  make 
strangers  and  tourists  welcome. 

The  nearest  of  these  resorts  is  the  Mission  Canon, 
which  opens  into  the  mountains  just  beyond  the  Mis- 
sion. The  road  crosses  the  river,  and  then  winds 
through  liveoak  and  sycamore  forests,  over  hills  and 
ridges,  following  the  course  of  that  stream  which 
was  once  used  by  the  Franciscans  for  irrigation, 
and  which  now  supplies  Santa  Barbara  with  water. 

For  the  most  part  the  valley  is  narrow  and  shut 
in,  but  sometimes  there  are  outlooks  when  the  foot- 
hills give  way,  and  open  the  view  over  the  fertile 
mesa  or  table-land  and  the  beautiful  blue  sea.  Now 
and  then,  level  spaces  and  sheltered  nooks,  green 
with  herbage  or  brilliant  with  flowers,  are  found 
along  the  road ;  in  other  places  the  hills  rise  pre- 
cipitously   among    bare    ro"cks,    in    whose    crevices 

104 


*s£ 


^&& 


w\ 


%: 


PLEASURE-DAYS    AT    SANTA    BARBARA  105 

gnarled  and  twisted  roots  hold  a  few  shrubs  or  tough 
cedars.  As  one  climbs  higher,  the  verdure  gives 
place  to  bushes  and  brushwood,  and  higher  still  the 
mountains  are  bare  and  rocky.  We  were  glad  to 
have  the  cool  shade  of  the  oaks  and  sycamores  to 
walk  in,  as  we  climbed  up  the  canon,  delighting  our 
eyes  with  the  masses  of  purple  lupines  and  delicate 
ferns  and  wild  morning-glories  which  adorned  the 
banks  of  the  river;  and  were  equally  glad,  when  the 
walk  was  over,  to  sit  in  the  sunshine  and  rest, 
breathing  air  laden  with  the  perfume  of  the  wild  lilac 
and  roses,  and  an  infinite  variety  of  plants  and  flow- 
ers. At  the  end  of  this  canon  there  is  a  picturesque 
waterfall,  where  the  stream  leaps  seven  times  over 
ledges  of  rock  from  one  pool  to  another,  and  pours 
down  the  smooth  sides  of  the  precipice  in  the  midst 
of  wild  and  rugged  scenery. 

One  day,  with  a  large  and  cheerful  party  of  young 
and  old,  amateur  photographers,  water-color  artists, 
botanists,  and  simple  pleasure-seekers,  we  drove 
for  a  day's  outing  to  Ellwood,  known  also  as  the 
Cooper  ranch.  This  lies  in  a  valley  called  "La 
Patera,"  which  extends  from  Hope  ranch  to  Gaviota 
Pass,  and  is  bounded  on  the  one  side  by  the  Santa 
Ynez  Mountains,  and  on  the  other  by  the  sea.  The 
road  lies  along  the  hill-sides  of  Hope  ranch,  among 
which  little  Lake  Fenton  shines  as  a  silver  bowl. 
On  either  side  of  the  road  are  neat  houses,  and  yellow 
fields  dotted  with  liveoak  trees.  The  Hollister 
ranch  occupies  both  sides  of  the  road  for  several 
miles,  and  the  house  stands  in  a  grove  of  fruit  trees 
—  oranges,    lemons,    almond,   walnut,   olive,   peach, 


106  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

nectarine,  and  others.  A  large  table-land  is  used 
for  grazing,  and  the  valleys  which  extend  into  the 
mountains  are  under  careful  cultivation.  In  the 
extensive  gardens  there  is  an  avenue  of  palms,  and 
a  great  variety  of  choice  shrubs  and  plants.  The 
"  Glen  Annie  "  palms  are  famous  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  the  ranch  is  full  of  interest  and  instruction. 

Ellwood,  which  joins  the  Hollister  place,  and 
which  was  our  destination,  comprises  two  thousand 
acres  in  fine  condition.  It  lies  along  the  road  for  a 
mile,  but  runs  to  the  high  foot-hills  of  the  Santa 
Ynez,  and  down  to  the  ocean  beach.  We  drove 
through  a  long  avenue  of  eucalyptus  trees  at  the 
entrance,  and  then  through  winding  roads  bordered 
by  orchards  of  various  trees  to  the  house  and  the 
gardens,  which  were  filled  with  choice  plants  and 
innumerable  roses  and  other  flowers.  The  largest 
india-rubber  tree  that  I  have  seen  in  California  was 
growing  here,  and  the  Chinese  gardeners  were  in- 
dustriously watering  and  weeding  the  grounds. 
Then  we  passed  into  a  grove  of  grand  old  oaks  and 
wide-branching  sycamores;  near  by  were  the  mill 
where  the  olives  are  pressed  and  made  into  olive  oil, 
the  ovens  for  drying  nuts,  and  the  hives  for  honey; 
and  not  far  off  were  the  stables  and  packing-houses. 

All  this  was  upon  the  way  to  the  entrance  of  the 
canon,  where,  amid  a  grove  of  liveoaks,  was  our 
camping  ground.  The  coaches  were  unloaded  and 
the  party  dispersed,  the  artists  to  make  sketches 
from  points  of  vantage  further  up  the  canon,  the 
botanists  to  gather  specimens  for  their  herbariums, 
the  youths  and  maidens  to  seek  out  shady  and  retired 


PLEASURE-DAYS   AT   SANTA   BARBARA  107 

nooks,  where  they  could  repeat  the  sweet  nothings 
which  make  young  life  so  joyous,  some  to  climb  the 
hills  and  look  upon  the  sea,  and  others  to  follow  up  the 
stream  under  the  gray  sycamore  trees,  till  its  course 
became  too  rough  and  steep  for  pleasure.  In  all 
such  companies  there  is  a  home-staying  and  unself- 
ish element,  that  spreads  the  festive  tablecloth  and 
arranges  the  welcome  meal  for  the  rest  of  the  party. 
Such  were  some  of  us,  and  here  in  the  grove  beside 
a  stream  of  fresh,  cold  water,  with  green  foot-hills 
on  one  side,  covered  with  waving  fields  of  barley, 
and  dark  summits  rising  in  another  direction,  and 
the  winding  avenues  of  blossoming  trees  just  before 
us,  the  feast  was  prepared,  decorated  with  manifold 
and  choice  bouquets,  and  made  inviting  to  tired  and 
hungry  humanity  by  all  those  arts  and  devices  which 
gentle  ladies  know.  In  pure  air,  mild  but  invig- 
orating, blending  the  best  elements  of  mountain  and 
sea ;  with  changing  lights  which  made  every  hour  a 
different  scene,  and  delighted  while  it  distracted  the 
artist  who  tried  to  catch  the  atmosphere  of  the  place ; 
and  with  harmonious  and  intelligent  company,  we 
enjoyed  the  rest  and  refreshment  and  good  cheer  of 
one  of  Santa  Barbara's  choice  places.  For  hours  we 
rested  here,  and  it  was  not  until  the  westering  sun 
and  the  cooler  breeze  told  us  that  the  day  was  wan- 
ing that  we  sought  our  carriages  and  were  whirled 
homeward  by  the  fleet  four-in-hands,  whose  equine 
thoughts  centred  chiefly  about  their  commodious 
stables  near  the  Arlington  Hotel. 

For  a  morning  excursion,  nothing  is  better  than 
the  drive   to  Montecito.     From  Santa  Barbara,  one 


108  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

may  drive  along  the  shore  where  the  white  surf  line 
fringes  the  blue  Pacific,  and  look  far  out  on  its  swell- 
ing bosom  beyond  the  dim  forms  of  the  rugged  Chan- 
nel Islands,  till  the  haze  conceals  the  immense 
solitary  region  beyond,  or  he  may  take  the  inland 
ro.ad  to  the  little  valley  through  vine-clad  cottages 
and  orchards.  Along  the  slopes,  where  the  bright 
green  grass  contrasts  vividly  with  the  dark  foliage 
of  the  oaks,  are  many  pretty  cottages  and  some  pre- 
tentious villas,  for  the  region  is  a  favorite  suburb  of 
Santa  Barbara,  and  is  justly  prized  for  its  exceed- 
ing beauty.  The  southern  part  of  the  valley  gently 
slopes  to  the  sea,  while  on  the  north  and  west  are 
the  foot-hills,  and  above  them  the  tall  mountains 
wooded  nearly  to  their  tops.  The  valley  is  made  up 
of  many  little  vales,  calm  spots  where  one  may  woo 
seclusion  and  commune  with  Nature  undisturbed. 
The  largest  ranch  is  at  the  entrance  of  the  San  Ysidro 
Canon,  and  here  there  is  an  extensive  orchard,  and 
vineyards  producing  excellent  grapes  for  wine.  .  A 
boardingf-house  with  half  a  dozen  cottages  has  been 
established  here,  and  in  one  of  these  we  found  Miss 
Susan  Hale,  of  Boston,  who  claimed  to  be  the  dis- 
coverer of  this  lovely  place.  No  one  who  can  appre- 
ciate natural  scenery  and  delicious  climate  would 
question  her  taste  and  judgment  in  such  a  choice, 
and,  so  far  as  I  know,  no  one  desires  to  contest  her 
claim  to  the  discovery.  There  are  other  spots  not 
less  beautiful,  where  all  the  resources  of  horticulture 
have  been  lavished  to  beautify  the  place.  Here  we 
saw  many  varieties  of  palms  of  great  size  and  age ; 
a  sago  palm  from  Ceylon;  a  silver  tree,  its  leaves 


PLEASURE-DAYS    AT   SANTA   BARBARA  109 

shining  like  burnished  metal,  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope;  a  tea  plant  from  China;  india-rubber  trees 
from  South  America;  magnolia  trees  in  bloom,  and 
hedges  of  Chinese  lemons  along  the  garden  walks. 
Beside  these,  there  was  an  almost  endless  variety  of 
choice  trees  and  shrubs,  and  a  huge  grapevine  near 
at  hand  large  enough  to  shelter  a  goodly  dinner- 
party. 

Another  day  we  climbed  up  the  caiion  to  the  hot 
springs.  They  consist  of  several  hot  sulphur  and 
arsenic  waters,  about  thirteen  hundred  feet  above 
the  sea,  which  have  been  known  to  the  Indians  for 
a  long  period,  but  were  only  brought  to  the  notice 
of  Californians  in  1855.  We  bathed  in  the  sulphur- 
ous waters  and  felt  refreshed  after  a  long  scramble, 
and  then  rested  and  lunched  on  the  little  plateau  by 
the  hotel,  where  we  overlooked  lovely  Montecito, 
and  watched  with  interest  the  San  Francisco  steamer 
as  she  came  down  the  coast  and  made  fast  to  the 
Santa  Barbara  pier.  The  hills  among  which  we 
strolled  were  full  of  holes,  from  which,  our  guide 
said,  rattlesnakes  might  be  expected  when  the  weather 
grew  warmer,  so  that  this  Eden  has  a-  real  snake. 
A  young  entomologist  also  showed  me  some  very 
large  tarantulas  impaled  upon  a  long  needle,  and  one 
or  two  of  the  curious  mud  boxes  with  a  trap-door  at 
the  top,  in  which  these  venomous  and  disagreeable 
spiders  live.  After  such  views  of  insect  life,  we 
were  careful  about  sitting  on  banks,  even  if  wild 
thyme  did  grow  there,  and  preferred  a  hard  chair  to 
a  lounge  upon  a  flowery  mead. 

Time  and  space  would  fail  to  enumerate  the  charm- 


110  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

ing  places  which  court  the  attention  of  the  tourist. 
Some  of  our  associates  went  through  the  Ojai  valley, 
and  were  extravagant  in  their  praises  of  the  wonder- 
ful beauties  of  "Oak  Glen,"  where  the  boughs  of  the 
trees  form  gothic  arches;  and  others  went  to  Santa 
Clara,  the  home  of  "Ramona;"  and  others  of  a  more 
practical  turn  investigated  the  oil  wells  in  Wheeler's 
Canon,  near  Ventura.  We  were  content  with  nearer 
excursions,  and  with  one  long  and  delightful  day 
on  the  San  Marcos  Pass,  over  which  the  road  runs 
to  San  Luis  Obispo  and  Monterey.  This  was  in- 
deed a  day  of  rare  enjoyment  in  pleasant  company, 
far  up  on  the  mountains,  in  the  pure,  dry  air  and 
sparkling  sunshine,  with  a  dozen  wild  canons  be- 
neath and  around  us,  lower  down  the  cultivated  foot- 
hills and  the  ranches  of  which  I  have  written,  then 
the  mesa  or  sloping  table-land,  the  villages  and  the 
azure  ocean  in  the  distance.  1  have  seen  nearly  all 
the  winter  resorts  of  California,  and  though  I  have 
heard  of  fogs,  and  have  felt  chilly  winds  and  varia- 
ble weather  at  most  of  them,  Santa  Barbara  and  its 
surroundings  do  most  commend  themselves  to  me. 
When  winter  winds  again  begin  to  blow,  I  shall 
draw  the  curtains,  and  put  another  log  upon  un- 
costly wood  fire,  and  shutting  my  eyes,  shall  dream 
of  the  peaceful  and  sunn}^  slopes  of  the  Santa  Ynez, 
and  the  happy  and  well-kept  town  which  lies  at  its 
base.  Perhaps  the  dream  may  prove  a  reality  after 
all. 


XVIII 
ANCIENT   SPANISH    HOUSES 

<  ARRILLO     ARGUELLO     AND     DE    LA    GUERRA OLD    DAYS 

IN     SANTA     BARBARA FEASTS    AND    WEDDINGS THE 

CHINESE    COLONY FRIENDS    AND    THEIR    WORK 

There  is  one  part  of  Santa  Barbara  which  seems 
out  of  harmony  with  its  present  life.  It  leads  one 
back  into  the  old  Spanish  times,  when  the  red-tiled 
adobe  houses  were  built,  and  the  Castilians  dwelt  in 
dignity  and  power  on  the  California  coast.  This 
place  is  but  a  stone's  throw  from  the  main  street  of 
Santa  Barbara,  and  Governor  Carrillo's  house  may 
still  be  seen  on  State  Street.  It  is  a  long,  low  struc- 
ture with  a  broad  foundation  of  solid  stone,  and  a 
broad  and  cool  veranda,  where  one  might  swing  at 
ease  in  a  comfortable  hammock.  The  outside  walls 
of  the  house  are  three  feet  thick,  and  the  inner  divi- 
sions are  at  least  two  feet  through;  the  window-seats 
are  as  wide  as  the  thickness  of  the  walls,  and  the  low- 
studded  doors  have  broad  and  ample  thresholds. 

All  the  rooms  in  this  house  are  large,  being  wide 
and  long,  although  the  ceilings  are  low.  The  doors 
and  windows  are  small,  and  the  latter  have  heavy 
wooden  shutters.  The  floor  was  formerly  of  earth, 
but  use  had  made  it  as  hard  and  smooth  as  stone. 

Hi 


112  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

The  walls  were  trowelled  even,  and  red  cedar  win- 
dow frames  carefully  set  in  them.  The  lower  rooms 
only  are  used,  and  the  upper  story  exhibits  the  huge 
adobe  bricks  and  immense  wooden  tree  trunks  in 
their  natural  state  used  for  beams.  These  were  laid 
across  from  wall  to  wall  to  form  the  roof,  and  bound 
together  with  rawhide  thongs  which  show  no  signs 
of  decay  after  ninety  years.  Over  the  beams  is  a 
layer  of  brush,  and  over  that  the  tiles,  which  were 
made  and  burned  close  at  hand.  After  all  these 
years,  this  primitive  building  stands  tight  and 
strong. 

A  part  of  the  Carrillo  House  is  used  for  a  dwell- 
ing, and  the  rest  is  occupied  by  the  National  History 
Society.  Here  Spanish  and  Indian  relics  are  pre- 
served, but,  after  all,  the  house  itself  is  the  main 
feature  of  attraction.  Some  of  its  windows  are 
glazed,  while  others  have  only  rows  of  iron  bars, 
like  the  lower  stories  of  the  houses  in  Spain.  The 
walls  of  one  room  were  covered  with  frescoes  on  a 
ground  of  white  plaster,  a  Moorish  design.  General 
Fremont  arrived  in  Santa  Barbara  in  December, 
1846,  and  made  this  house  and  the  adjoining  one  his 
headquarters,  because  it  was  the  largest,  and  in  better 
condition  than  any  other. 

The  other  house  which  General  Fremont  used  was 
built  by  Captain  Arguello,  who  succeeded  Carrillo. 
He  was  made  governor-general  of  California  in  1815, 
having  been  for  many  years  commandant  of  the 
Presidio.  His  house  was  one  of  the  finest  in  old 
Santa  Barbara,  containing  thirty  rooms,  and  was  the 
only  residence  which    completely  enclosed    a   large 


"K   >lt  ;V-  --i'r 


5 


ANCIENT    SPANISH   HOUSES  113 

square  in  the  style  of  the  Spanish  patio.  The  wood- 
work was  of  Spanish  cedar,  and  one  of  the  door 
frames,  which  is  used  in  a  shed  near  by,  is  richly 
carved  in  a  design  of  fluted  columns. 

The  court-yard  tempted  Fremont  to  use  it  as  an 
enclosure  for  his  animals.  They  had  no  regard  for 
the  former  owners  or  their  traditions,  and  soon  re- 
duced the  building  to  ruin,  and  now  only  a  heap  of 
dilapidated  adobe  and  some  few  carved  beams 
remain. 

After  Captain  Arguello,  came  Captain  Jose*  de  la 
Guerra,  who  held  office  for  many  years,  during 
which  time  Mexico  became  independent  of  Spain. 
He  was  of  a  good  Castilian  family,  and  built  the 
house  where  the  de  la  Guerra  family  still  live,  while 
he  was  the  commander  of  the  Presidio.  The  house 
was  outside  of  the  grounds,  and  had  a  chapel,  whose 
statues  and  paintings  are  still  preserved  in  the  parish 
church.  The  bell  tower  has  fallen  down,  but  the 
bells  were  rehung  upon  frames,  and  still  call  the 
worshippers  to  matins  and  vespers. 

Captain  de  la  Guerra  built  this  house  in  1823. 
It  extends  for  one  hundred  feet  on  three  sides  of  a 
square,  with  a  broad  piazza  and  three  wide  flights  of 
steps.  The  roof  is  supported  by  slender  adobe  pillars, 
the  whole  house  being  made  of  the  same  sundried 
bricks  plastered  on  the  outside.  The  ends  of  the 
house  have  broken  somewhat,  and  are  covered  with 
wood  for  protection,  but  the  rest  of  the  building  is 
in  excellent  condition. 

In  the  old  days,  these  court-yards  and  verandas 
and  rooms  were  the  scene  of  lavish  hospitality.     The 


114  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

guests  assembled  and  danced  on  the  piazzas  and  in 
the  court-yard  on  every  day  for  a  whole  week.  Every- 
body was  asked,  and  all  were  made  welcome  to  the 
feast  which  was  spread  for  all  under  the  shade  of  the 
portico,  or  of  the  trees  and  vines.  The  relatives 
were  entertained  in  the  salon,  and  the  week  of  gayety 
was  long  remembered.  It  is  of  this  family  that 
Richard  H.  Dana  speaks,  in  his  "  Two  Years  before 
the  Mast,"  when  the  mansion  was  not  large  enough 
to  hold  the  guests  bidden  to  the  wedding  of  Dona 
Anneta  de  la  Guerra,  the  youngest  daughter  of  the 
grandee  of  the  place,  who  married  the  agent  of  the 
owners  of  the  Pilgrim.  The  steward  was  ashore 
three  days  making  pastry,  guns  pealed  out  salutes, 
and  flags  were  run  up,  and  the  vessel  was  dressed  in 
colors,  and  a  boat's  crew  rowed  the  officers  ashore. 
A  few  words  from  his  journal  will  be  of  interest: 
"  At  ten  o'clock  the  bride  went  up  with  her  sister  to 
the  confessional,  dressed  in  deep  black.  Nearly  an 
hour  intervened,  when  the  great  doors  of  the  mission 
church  opened,  the  bells  rang  out  a  long  discordant 
peal,  the  private  signal  for  us  was  run  up  by  the  cap- 
tain ashore,  the  bride,  dressed  in  complete  white, 
came  out  of  the  church  with  the  bridegroom,  fol- 
lowed by  a  long  procession.  Just  as  she  stepped 
from  the  church  door,  a  small  white  cloud  issued 
from  the  bows  of  our  ship,  which  was  full  in  sight, 
the  loud  report  echoed  among  the  surrounding  hills 
and  over  the  ba}%  and  instantly  the  ship  was  dressed 
in  flags  and  pennants  from  stem  to  stern.  Twenty- 
three  guns  followed  in  regular  succession,  with  an 
interval  of  fifteen  seconds  between  each,  when  the 


ANCIENT    SPANISH   HOUSES  115 

cloud  cleared  away,  and  the  ship  lay  dressed  in  her 
colors  all  day.  At  sundown,  another  salute  of  the 
same  number  of  guns  was  fired,  and  all  the  flags  run 
down.  This  we  thought  was  pretty  well  —  a  gun 
every  fifteen  seconds  —  for  a  merchantman  with  only 
four  guns  and  a  dozen  or  twenty  men. 

"  After  supper  the  gig's  crew  were  called,  and  we 
rowed  ashore,  dressed  in  our  uniform,  beached  the 
boat  and  went  up  to  the  fandango.  The  bride's 
father's  house  was  the  principal  one  in  the  place, 
with  a  large  court  in  front,  upon  which  a  tent  was 
built,  capable  of  containing  several  hundred  people. 
As  we  drew  near,  we  heard  the  accustomed  sound  of 
violins  and  guitars,  and  saw  a  great  motion  of  the 
people  within.  Going  in,  we  found  nearly  all  the 
people  of  the  town  —  men,  women,  and  children  — 
collected  and  crowded  together,  leaving  barely  room 
for  the  dancers ;  for  on  these  occasions  no  invitations 
are  given,  but  every  one  is  expected  to  come,  though 
there  is  always  a  private  entertainment  within  the 
house  for  particular  friends.  The  old  women  sat 
down  in  rows,  clapping  their  hands  to  the  music, 
and  applauding  the  young  ones.  The  music  was 
lively,  and  among  the  tunes  we  recognized  several 
of  our  popular  airs." 

These  scenes  have  passed  away,  never  to  return ; 
the  house  still  stands,  and  the  family  still  lives 
there.  Around  the  house,  and  for  a  long  distance 
towards  Montecito,  were  the  gardens  of  the  estate. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  fertile  parts  of  the  whole 
valley,  well  watered  and  productive.  The  gardens 
were  for  pleasure  as  well  as  profit,  with  all  sorts  of 


116  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

fruit  trees  and  many  flowering  plants  along  the  wind- 
ing paths.  Little  now  remains  of  these  gardens  of 
delight  except  the  palms  and  cacti,  and  an  occasional 
orange  tree.  The  family  are  proud  of  their  lineage, 
and  have  occupied  many  important  offices  and  trusts. 
The  builder  and  his  son  are  buried  here,  and  the  third 
generation  dwell  in  Santa  Barbara. 

This  grand  old  house  is  surrounded  with  small  and 
mean  dwellings.  These  were  built  for  soldiers  and 
Indians,  and  are  now  occupied  by  the  Chinese,  who 
have  invaded  Spanishtown,  erected  their  Joss  in  one 
of  the  adobe  mansions,  and  have  occupied  others  as 
shops.  Their  red  posters  flame  in  the  windows,  and 
the  sickening  odor  of  their  opium  pipes  pervades  the 
little  rooms  where  they  congregate.  They  are  not 
all  heathen,  for  we  attended  the  anniversary  of  the 
Presbyterian  Chinese  Mission  School  on  an  April 
Sabbath  evening,  and  listened  to  a  most  interesting 
programme  of  recitations,  songs,  and  original  ad- 
dresses by  Louis  Fon,  Tang  Ting,  Lee  Ling,  Gen 
Yan,  Quon  Woon,  Pon  Sam,  and  other  members  of 
the  school  under  charge  of  Mrs.  Bell.  Rev.  Dr. 
Carrier  conducted  the  exercises,  and  Mrs.  Cheung 
Wong  played  the  organ  and  led  the  music.  Some 
of  the  speeches  showed  marked  ability,  and  the  school 
is  a  successful  one.  It  is  a  good  work,  and  will  help 
to  counteract  the  heathenism  of  the  rest  of  the 
Chinese  population. 


XIX 

HOW    WE   WENT   TO   YOSEMITE 

THE    CROWN    OF    CALIFORNIA     SCENERY A    WILY  AGENT 

RUTS   AND   BOGS FINE    AIR    AND   HARD    FARE AN 

AMERICAN  JOLTING    CAR MULES  AND   THEIR   DRIVERS 

THE    PUBLIC    AND    ITS    SERVANTS 

The  most  exhausting,  expensive,  and  impressive 
excursion  which  the  tourist  in  California  can  make 
is  doubtless  that  to  the  Yosemite  Valley.  When 
made  in  the  early  spring,  it  is  said  to  be  a  rougher 
but  more  remunerative  trip  than  later  on.  In  the 
old  days  of  staging  and  horseback  riding,  this  jour- 
ney would  have  been  only  an  incident  in  the  usual 
course  of  pounding,  jolting,  and  stowing  which  our 
fathers  went  through  when  they  travelled  by  public 
conveyance,  and  which  some  of  us  can  remember  as 
items  in  our  childhood.  But  such  an  excursion  in 
these  days  of  Pullman  cars  and  palace  hotels  is,  to 
say  the  least,  a  novelty.  Until  within  a  few  years, 
the  Yosemite  Valley  had  the  monopoly  of  the  sight- 
seers in  the  far  West.  One  who  crossed  the  Rockies, 
and  did  not  climb  down  into  the  rock-ribbed  valley 
through  which  the  river  Merced  runs,  made  a  most 
important  omission,  for  painters  and  quill-drivers 
had  so  advertised  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  Yo- 

117 


118  BEYOND   THE   KOCKIES 

Semite,  that  it  was  believed  to  be  one  of  the  greatest 
sights  in  the  world.  Since  the  discovery  of  other 
canons  in  Colorado  and  Arizona,  and  the  opening  of 
the  Yellowstone  Park,  the  pilgrimage  to  Yosemite 
has  someAvhat  declined,  though  it  is  still  a  famous 
resort,  especially  for  Englishmen  and  for  American 
excursionists. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances,  its  grandeur  and 
beauty  ought  to  repay  the  strong  and  enthusiastic 
traveller  for  the  rough  riding  and  tough  fare  which 
are  the  conditions  of  his  visit. 

We  were  in  San  Francisco  about  the  first  of  May, 
and  were  politely  informed  by  the  childlike  and 
bland  agents  of  the  only  route  by  which  the  valley 
is  accessible  at  such  a  date,  that  the  roads  were  in 
fine  condition,  the  snow  all  cleared  away,  the  hotels 
ready  for  business,  and  that  we  would  be  more 
troubled  with  sun  and  dust  than  with  snow  and  mud 
upon  our  journey.  The  five  feet  of  snow  which  we 
afterwards  passed  through  upon  our  road,  the  deep 
ruts  and  quagmires  in  which  the  coaches  and  horses 
plunged  and  wallowed,  and  the  one  cow  in  the  valley, 
which  must  have  been  fed  chiefly  upon  ice-water, 
somewhat  shook  our  confidence  in  the  agent's  ve- 
racity, and  added  to  the  surprises  of  the  excursion. 
But  the  superb  air  from  the  pine  forests  on  the  moun- 
tains, the  enchanting  scenery  of  the  valley,  and  the 
company  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  for  the  most 
part  made  light  of  their  miseries  and  privations,  went 
far  to  reconcile  us  to  the  deceptive  conditions  under 
which  we  made  our  entrance.  With  some  seasoned 
travellers,  and  a  merry  party  of  young  people,  we 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY    FROM    UNION    POINT 


HOW    WE    WENT   TO   YOSEMITE  119 

made  our  journey.  It  was  long,  rough,  cold,  and 
hard,  but  it  will  always  be  a  memorable  portion  of 
our  California  pilgrimage,  and  grow  more  delightful 
as  distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  view,  and  as 
the  infelicities  and  trials  of  the  way  fade  out  of  sight, 
and  leave  only  the  grand  features  and  pleasant  in- 
cidents of  the  visit. 

On  a  fine  afternoon  we  rode  from  San  Francisco 
to  Berenda,  a  station  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Road, 
where  Ave  anchored  for  the  night.  During  the  night, 
the  train  of  a  New  York  millionaire  and  another 
private  car  pulled  up  alongside,  and  in  the  morning, 
bright  and  early,  the  trains  started  off  for  Raymond, 
the  last  point  of  the  railroad  ride,  and  where  coaches 
are  to  be  taken  for  the  journey  to  the  valley. 

The  conditions  which  make  it  easy  to  whirl  a 
train  of  parlor  cars  along  the  New  York  Central,  do 
not  exist  upon  the  railroad  line  between  Berenda 
and  Raymond.  This  road  winds,  and  climbs,  and 
dodges  around  and  about,  over  and  among  hills  and 
valleys,  the  grades  being  steep  and  the  curves  sharp. 
It  was  not  wronderful,  therefore,  that  the  aristocratic 
coaches  with  their  large-wheeled  engines  soon  got 
stalled  upon  the  heavy  up-grades,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  call  upon  the  more  practical  freight  engine 
to  help  them  over  the  road.  At  last,  however,  we 
were  all  at  Raymond,  breakfasted,  and  were  distrib- 
uted in  coaches.  Eleven  persons  and  a  driver  are  a 
load  for  each  coach,  and  four  horses  or  mules  are 
allotted  to  draw  each  compan}'.  The  coaches  are 
single-deck  vehicles  of  the  old  Concord  thorough- 
brace  and  axle  pattern,  some  of  them  open,  and  others 


120  BEYOND   THE   EOCKIES 

supplied  with  a  canopy.  They  are  very  stout  and 
heavy,  and  probably  are  among  the  hardest  riding 
vehicles  ever  invented  by  man.  Every  stone  which 
the  wheels  run  over  leaves  its  impress  upon  the 
passenger,  the  ruts  of  the  road  sway  the  weighty 
carriage  like  a  ship  in  a  heavy  sea,  the  waterbars 
along  the  course  throw  the  rider  from  his  seat  as 
surely  as  a  bronco  does,  and  the  high  wheels  scatter 
dust  and  mud  upon  the  inmates  of  the  coach  without 
distinction  of  position,  age,  or  sex.  The  box  seat 
beside  the  driver  is  the  most  desirable  place,  but 
when  three  occupy  it,  the  iron  rail  does  more  than 
protect  the  outside  passenger,  while  the  middle  one 
becomes  intimately  acquainted  with  the  elbows  of  the 
driver  and  the  butt  end  of  his  whip-handle. 

If  the  Jehu  is  an  old-stager,  his  stock  of  informa- 
tion, stories,  and  jests  makes  up  for  many  side 
thrusts  and  squeezes,  and  helps  to  pass  the  hours 
when  the  lumbering  vehicle  creeps  up  hills,  or  rattles 
and  jumps  down  the  steep  inclines,  often  frightfully 
near  the  edge  of  a  precipice. 

The  "swells"  managed  to  get  most  of  the  good 
horses,  so  quiet  people  were  provided  with  mules, 
and  my  respect  for  these  animals  increased  during 
this  trip.  They  can  take  more  beating  with  less 
result  than  any  other  beasts.  Indeed,  it  became  a 
question,  now  and  then,  which  of  the  two  worked 
the  harder,  the  driver  or  the  mules. 

The  sky  was  clear,  the  air  chill,  the  waysides  lit- 
erally carpeted  with  yellow  and  blue  and  purple 
flowers ;  wild  white  lilacs,  and  the  lovely  manzanitas 
sending  out  a  rich  fragrance,    and   the   bay   bushes 


HOW   WE   WENT   TO   YOSEMITE  121 

adding  their  refreshing  perfume.  The  prospect  of 
hill  and  vale  widened  every  hour,  as  we  rose  higher 
and  higher,  and  the  barometer  began  to  mark  the 
thousands  of  feet  which  we  had  climbed  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  All  day  the  teams  toiled  along, 
each  one  doing  its  duty  under  lash  and  voice  for 
eight  or  ten  miles,  and  then  giving  place  to  another. 
Late  in  the  evening  we  arrived  at  Wawona,  where  a 
large  house,  well  situated,  offers  accommodations  to 
guests.  It  was  overcrowded,  and  late  comers  took 
what  they  could  get,  but  all  were  hungry  enough  to 
eat  the  abundant  supper  which  was  provided,  and 
after  roasting  themselves  before  a  huge  log  fire,  were 
ready  to  lie  down  in  the  cold  beds,  and  sleep  as  only 
the  weary  can.  At  break  of  day  the  travellers  were 
again  summoned,  not  because  they  were  in  a  hurry 
to  get  on,  but  because  the  coaches  were  to  make  one 
trip  into  the  valley,  and  another  out  of  the  valley 
within  the  twelve  hours.  There  is  altogether  too 
much  of  this  style  of  business  in  this  country. 
Trains  and  boats  and  coaches  are  run,  not  for  the 
comfort  and  convenience  of  passengers,  but  to  suit 
the  fancies  of  superintendents,  or  the  economies  of 
the  company.  The  American  public  is  the  most 
long-suffering  in  the  world,  and  pays  large  prices  to 
be  dictated  to  and  overrun  by  those  who  ought  to  be 
its  servants.  From  the  railway  porter,  who  treats 
the  ordinary  traveller  with  contempt,  up  to  the 
president  of  the  company,  Avho  takes  the  right  of 
way  on  a  road  of  which  he  is  only  the  head  servant, 
and  through  every  branch  of  public  service,  the  peo- 
ple are  treated  as   inferiors,  and  as  possessing  few 


122  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

rights  which  officials  or  corporations  are  bound  to 
respect.  My  regard  for  some  of  the  institutions  and 
customs  of  what  we  sometimes  call  "effete  civiliza- 
tions "  is  increased  every  time  I  travel  in  my  own 
country.  The  nobility  of  respectful,  efficient,  and 
intelligent  service  impresses  itself  upon  one  who 
marks  its  woful  lack  in  this  free  and  mighty  inde- 
pendent land,  for  it  is  far  more  honorable  to  do  a 
humble  duty  well  than  to  swagger  in  a  station  whose 
duties  are  regarded  as  servile  simply  because  the}- 
demand  quietness,  courtesy,  and  obedience.  These 
ideas  are  not  much  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the 
age,  which  is  pushing,  boisterous,  intolerant  of  criti- 
cism, and  reckons  it  important  to  protest  against 
service  as  derogatory  to  manhood. 

Arising,  a  long  time  before  the  sun,  we  hurried 
through  breakfast  to  accommodate  the  driver  who 
wanted  to  "make  time,"  and  were  off  Through 
mud  and  snow,  over  rough  and  bad  roads,  we  were 
jerked  and  jolted  for  five  weary  hours,  and  then, 
through  the  white  veil  of  a  feathery  snow-storm  we 
caught  our  first  view  of  Yosemite,  with  its  crags  and 
battlements,  its  rushing  river,  and  its  resounding 
and  beautiful  waterfalls.  When  the  flurry  of  snow 
ceased,  and  the  sun  shone  out,  the  mingled  gran- 
deur and  beauty  of  the  scene  drew  exclamations  of 
delight  and  enthusiasm  from  every  lip;  the  weari- 
ness of  the  way  was  almost  forgotten,  as  the  horses 
whirled  the  coaches  around  the  sharp  curves,  and  then 
five  miles  over  the  level  floor  of  the  valley,  amid  ever 
increasing  wonders,  to  the  hotel  at  the  upper  end. 
Here  we  were  to  rest  for  some  days  among  the  sub- 
lime and  glorious  works  of  the  great  Creator, 


XX 
THE    YOSEMITE   VALLEY 

OUR     ENTRANCE  WONDERFUL    VIEWS MANIFOLD     AND 

BEAUTIFUL     WATERFALLS PRECIPICES    THOUSANDS  OF 

FEET     HIGH  —  MIRROR     LAKE     AND      MERCED      RIVER 

DID    THE  'BOTTOM   DROP    OUT GRANDEUR    AND   TRIVI- 
ALITY 

It  was  afternoon  of  the  second  day  of  stage-riding, 
and  the  third  day  from  San  Francisco,  before  we 
reached  the  Yosemite  Valley.  Though  the  route 
was  full  of  varied  interest,  there  was  an  amount 
of  physical  pain  and  privation,  of  cold  and  hunger, 
connected  with  the  transportation,  that  made  us  re- 
joice that  the  end  of  our  pilgrimage  was  near.  On 
we  drove  through  the  forests  of  mighty  trees.  The 
air  was  full  of  fleecy  and  feathery  snow,  which  con- 
trasted with  the  dark  foliage  of  the  evergreens.  A 
sudden  turn  in  the  road  brought  us  to  the  steep  side 
of  the  great  Yosemite  Valley.  Gusts  of  wind 
drifted  the  snow-clouds  back  and  forth,  now  re- 
vealing and  anon  concealing  the  opposite  side.  For 
a  few  moments  the  snow  ceased,  the  sun  shone  out, 
and  we  caught  our  first  view  from  Inspiration  Point 
of  the  falling  waters,  and  towering  rocks,  and  deep 
ravines,  and  tree-covered  heights,  which  mingle  here 

123 


124  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

in  a  wonderful  and  beautiful  picture.  Then  the 
snowy  veil  was  dropped  again,  and  as  we  jumped  and 
jolted  down  the  mountain-side,  this  veil  swung  back 
now  and  then,  giving  glimpses  of  grandeur  and 
beauty  all  along  the  route.  Soon  we  were  below 
the  snow-clouds,  and  drove  among  green  trees  and 
grassy  meadows,  and  beside  the  pure  waters  of  the 
Merced  as  it  hurried  down  the  canon. 

The  Yosemite  lies  in  the  heart  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  due 
east  from  San  Francisco.  Its  Indian  name  means, 
"full-grown  grizzly  bear,"  and  has  no  special  appli- 
cation to  the  valley.  The  valley  is  distinguished 
from  all  other  valleys  by  its  enormous  depth,  the 
perpendicular  walls  which  enclose  it,  and  by  the  small 
amount  of  debris  at  the  base  of  these  walls.  It 
seems  as  though  it  must  have  sunk  down  suddenly 
from  the  midst  of  the  table-lands  which  surround  it. 
But  conjectures  are  vain.  Whether  it  was  washed 
out  by  the  streams,  or  ground  out  by  the  ice  mills  of 
the  glacial  period,  or  whether  the  bottom  fell  out, 
and  where  it  fell  to,  and  what  made  the  hole  that  the 
bottom  fell  into,  are  all  points  that  have  been  care- 
fully discussed,  but  never  settled.  But  the  fact  re- 
mains that  here  is  a  valley,  wonderful  not  only  in 
depths  and  heights,  but  in  its  carved,  water-quarried 
recesses  and  mountain  walls,  that  exhibit  new  beau- 
ties in  every  receding  angle  and  cloud-supporting 
buttress. 

During  the  spring  and  early  summer,  when  the 
yet  deep  snows  of  the  high  Sierra  are  melting  rapidly, 
there  are  many  waterfalls  pouring  down  the  precipi- 


THE   YOSEMITB   VALLEY  125 

tous  sides  of  the  valley.  As  the  season  advances, 
several  of  these  cataracts  dwindle  away  until  they 
become  almost  imperceptible  trickles  of  water.  One 
who  has  only  seen  these  torrents  in  their  full  and 
majestic  flow  can  with  difficulty  comprehend  their 
almost  total  disappearance.  And  one  who  looks  on 
their  shrunken  proportions  in  the  late  autumn  has 
even  more  difficulty  in  picturing  to  himself  the  cap- 
tivating spectacle  presented  by  the  falls  in  their 
season  of  power  and  splendor. 

Our  first  object  of  interest,  when  we  reached  the 
valley  floor,  was  the  Bridal  Veil  Fall.  The  road 
comes  close  beside  it.  A  stream  of  water  flowing 
through  meadows  and  forests  from  a  lake  thirty  miles 
away,  comes  to  the  precipice  with  a  width  of  forty 
feet,  and  a  depth  that  varies  with  the  season  of  the 
year.  It  leaps  over  the  precipice  and  falls  in  filnry 
folds  down,  down,  nine  hundred  feet,  upon  rocks  and 
foaming  waters.  The  wind  floats  out  the  wreaths  of 
spray,  and  in  the  afternoon  rainbow  circles  form  in 
the  hanging  clouds  of  vapor,  and  the  whole  place 
sparkles  and  gleams  in  the  sunlight.  Just  opposite 
the  Bridal  Veil  Fall  is  a  narrow  band  of  water  fall- 
ing down  the  rocky  wall  of  the  valle}r  which  is  called 
sometimes  The  Ribbon,  at  other  times  Widow's 
Tears,  because  it  quickly  dries  up  after  the  snows 
have  melted  and  Fall  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the 
Merced  River,  runs  low.  As  we  looked  at  the 
stream  pouring  over  the  face  of  the  rock,  it  could  be 
compared  to  nothing  better  than  delicate  lacework, 
though  the  glass  showed  that  there  was  a  great 
amount  of  water  falling. 


126  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Alongside  the  road,  just  beyond,  are  the  Cathe- 
dral rocks,  which  bear  a  striking  resemblance  to  the 
Gothic  piles  of  England.  Portions  of  these  massive 
towers,  which  rise  twenty-seven  hundred  feet  from 
the  valley,  have  fallen,  and  lie  scattered  in  massive 
fragments  at  the  base,  and  huge  fissures  in  the  rocky 
pinnacles  give  evil  omen  of  similar  disasters.  As 
we  look  across  the  green  and  swiftly  flowing  Merced, 
above  the  Widow's  Tears,  the  immense  mass  of  El 
Capitan  rises,  forming  the  North  wall.  It  is  by  far 
the  most  imposing  feature  of  the  valley,  four  thou- 
sand feet  high,  of  a  cream-colored  stone,  a  sheer  and 
incurving  precipice  from  base  to  top.  The  plants 
and  herbage  which  find  a  place  everywhere  in  the 
valley  are  so  small  upon  El  Capitan  that  the  impres- 
sion is  produced  of  a  simple  stone  structure,  vaster 
than  the  sphinx  or  the  pyramids.  It  is  the  giant  of 
the  place,  a  grand  and  glorious  mountain  of  solid 
stone.  On  the  same  side  are  three  lofty  and  im- 
mense pillars  of  granite,  the  highest  of  which  equals 
El  Capitan  in  altitude.  They  are  appropriately 
named,  Three  Brothers,  for  the  sons  of  the  oldest  of 
the  Yosemite  chiefs,  Tenaya.  They  keep  watch 
witli  El  Capitan  upon  the  north,  while  opposite,  the 
Sentinel  stands  three  thousand  feet  high,  forming 
one  of  the  finest  features  of  the  whole  region.  By  a 
curve  in  the  valley,  the  Sentinel  is  brought  into  its 
centre,  and  from  either  part  he  stands  majestic, 
loft}r,  and  grandly  formed,  the  guardian  of  this  won- 
derful treasure-house  of  Nature.  From  the  base  of 
the  Sentinel,  the  finest  waterfall,  which  gives  name 
to   the    valley,   is    seen   to   great    advantage.       The 


THE   YOSEMITE    VALLEY  127 

Yosemite  River  flows  through  granite  walls,  from 
the  lofty  heights  where  snow  lies  more  than  half  the 
year,  till  it  comes  to  the  precipice  far  above  the 
forest  line,  where  it  pours  over  a  deep  and  powerful 
stream,  which  falls  into  a  broad  basin,  boils  for  a 
moment,  and  then  plunges  down,  to  repeat  its  action 
once  more  before  it  reaches  the  valley.  The  first  fall 
is  a  sheer  descent  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  feet, 
but  the  whole  height  from  summit  to  base  is  two 
thousand  six  hundred  feet.  From  some  points  in 
the  valley  the  three  leaps  seem  merged  in  one  vast 
mass  of  milk-white  foaming  water,  and  seen  in  the 
moonlight  the  effect  is  beautiful  beyond  description. 
It  is  a  favorite  excursion,  to  climb  by  circuitous  and 
zigzag  paths  to  the  top  of  the  precipice,  and  if  the 
wind  be  from  the  right  quarter,  so  that  one  is  not 
drenched  with  spray,  the  views  into  the  recesses  of 
the  cataract  are  exciting  and  wonderful.  One  of  the 
numerous  writers  upon  the  place,  after  saying  that 
"Yosemite  Falls  by  moonlight  is  a  scene  no  artist 
dare  attempt  to  paint,  no  pen  to  describe,"  proceeds 
to  quote  as  follows :  "  As  the  night  queen  rides  out 
and  a  faint  bar  of  light  spans  the  chasm  of  the  domes 
upheld  by  shadows  almost  a  mile  high,  she  touches 
gently  the  great  falls  of  the  Upper  Yosemite,  trans- 
forming the  falling  crystals  into  meteors  of  burnished 
silver,  which  the  night  wind  whirls  in  wild,  fantas- 
tic wreaths'  against  the  frowning  cliffs."  That  is 
just  about  as  we  saw  it  by  the  light  of  a  full  moon. 

The  view  from  the  Sentinel  point,  up  and  down 
the  valley,  is  magnificent.  The  northern  view  is 
closed  by  Cloud's  llest,  a  lofty  pile  of  granite  which 


128  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

rises  six  thousand  feet  into  the  sky,  and  upon  its 
awful  summit  there  is  often  a  fleecy  cloud,  which 
gives  name  to  the  mountain ;  nearer  at  hand  are  the 
North  Dome,  Royal  Arches,  and  Washington  Column, 
on  the  left,  and  Glacier  Point,  with  its  dizzy  prom- 
ontory, on  the  right;  while  between  the  two  the 
graceful  Half  Dome  rises  nearly  five  thousand  feet 
into  the  heavens. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  valley  there  are  beautiful 
cascades,  and  the  drive  from  Mirror  Lake,  where  the 
huge  mountains  are  pictured  in  all  their  grandeur 
on  a  calm  day,  down  one  side  of  the  valley  to  the 
cascades,  and  up  on  the  other  to  the  Stoneman 
House,  is  never  to  be  forgotten.  Though  Yosemite 
is  chiefly  famous  for  the  number  and  beauty  of  its 
waterfalls,  yet  the  walls  which  shut  it  in  are  so 
stupendous  in  height  and  grandeur,  and  so  varied 
and  wonderful  in  their  outlines,  and  so  harmonious 
in  their  relations  to  each  other  that  no  one  can  look 
long  upon  them  without  feeling  their  awful  power. 
Reverence  for  that  which  is  so  high  and  grand  insen- 
sibly grows  upon  the  men  whose  soul  is  open  to 
impressions,  and  as  excursions  are  made  to  Union 
and  Glacier  points,  to  the  Nevada  and  Vernal  falls, 
and  into  the  recesses  of  the  mountains,  the  sense  of 
the  sublimity  and  glory  of  these  works  of  God  is 
deepened  and  strengthened. 

It  is  pitiful,  in  the  midst  of  such  sublime  scenes, 
to  descend  to  the  trivialities  of  ordinary  experience, 
and  think  so  much  of  what  kind  of  an  ass  one  can 
get  to  ride  on  to  the  Vernal  and  Nevada  falls,  whether 
there  will  be  enough  milk  to  go  around  at  table,  and 


THE   YOSEMITE   VALLEY  129 

how  many  trout  will  be  served  at  supper;  but  all 
travellers  know  that,  even  in  the  presence  of  the 
grandest  and  most  glorious  works  of  God,  the  mind 
of  the  average  man  does  not  commune  with  its 
Maker  unless  these  sordid  questions  are  settled. 
Our  case  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  The  hotel 
Mas  very  crowded,  there  was  only  one  private  room 
with  a  fireplace,  a  solitary  cow  gave  all  the  milk, 
and  the  trout  had  no  appreciation  of  how  much  they 
were  wanted.  Yankee  smartness  and  New  York 
extravagance  vied  with  Chicago  bluster  in  the  effort 
to  come  out  ahead  in  the  various  problems  of  food, 
accommodation,  and  transportation,  and  the  modest 
men  and  women,  who  only  wanted  their  fair  share  of 
comforts  and  blessings,  were  often  poorly  served,  or 
not  served  at  all.  The  rule,  "  every  one  for  himself, " 
has  its  best  illustration  in  such  travels,  and  yet  I 
have  known  people  who  were  very  happy  because 
they  had  been  able  to  prefer  the  comfort  and  con- 
venience of  others  to  their  own,  and  such  were  some 
of  those  who  went  to  the  Yosemite  and  spent  the 
week  with  us  there. 


XXI 

CALIFORNIA   BIG   TREES 

MARIPOSA    AND  SANTA  CRUZ  GROVES — COMPARISONS  AND 
MEASUREMENTS 

We  were  sorry  to  leave  the  Yosemite  Valley  for 
two  reasons.  One  was  because  it  was  unlikely  that 
we  should  ever  look  again  upon  those  grand  walls  of 
rock,  those  beautiful  waterfalls,  the  lakes  that  mirror 
the  mountains,  and  the  dark,  green  river  of  pure 
water  that  flows  through  the  verdant  floor  of  the 
valley.  These  things  will  be  for  memory  to  rest  upon 
and  rejoice  in  through  coming  years,  but  they  will 
not  be  like  the  oft-repeated  views  of  Niagara  and  the 
White  Mountains,  nor  even  familiar  friends  as  Mount 
Blanc  and  many  scenes  of  the  Swiss  Alps. 

The  other  sorrow  at  leaving  the  valley  was  pro- 
spective. A  vision  of  future  misery  was  before  us. 
There  stood  the  red  instrument  of  torture  at  the  door, 
with  its  huge  wheels,  and  awful  thorough-braces,  well 
named  "rack,"  and  falsely  named  cushions,  as  hard 
as  excelsior  and  leather  could  make  them.  And 
there,  too,  sat  the  hardened  sinner  who  was  to  propel 
this  barbarous  construction  over  rock  and  rut,  and 
log  and  stone,  through  bog  and  snow  and  flooding 
rivers,  for  the  next  two  days.     He  sat  firmly,  as  if 

130 


CALIFORNIA   BIG   TREES  131 

made  of  cast-iron,  with  his  sceptre,  a  long-lashed 
whip,  in  his  hand,  ready  to  beat  recalcitrant  or  de- 
spairing beasts  into  a  sense  of  their  duty  or  a  com- 
prehension of  their  misery.  We  said  farewell  to 
friends,  entered  the  chariot,  and  climbed  the  rugged 
mountain,  lingering  a  moment  at  Inspiration  Point, 
and  then  braced  ourselves  for  the  unmitigated  pun- 
ishment of  the  next  two  days.  There  was  to  be  one 
interval  of  pleasure,  in  a  new  sight,  and  to  that  we 
hopefully  looked  forward.  The  warm  weather  and 
a  gang  of  shovellers  had  opened  the  road  to  the  Mari- 
posa "Big  Trees,"  and  we  knew  that  they  were  well 
worth  seeing.  We  slept  at  Wawona,  sad  and  sore 
after  our  rough  ride,  but  responded  to  the  thunder- 
ing process  by  which  we  were  awaked  in  the  morn- 
ing. It  reminded  me  of  the  answer  which  the  stout, 
black  stewardess  of  a  Fall  River  boat  once  made  to 
my  innocent  inquiry,  whether  passengers  were  waked 
to  take  the  railroad  train?  With  much  feeling  she 
replied:  "We  calls  the  parties,  and  pounds  on  the 
doors,  and  rings  a  gong,  and  them  that  sleeps  after 
that  is  fortinit." 

In  the  gray  morning  we  wound  up  the  steep  road 
for  several  hours,  until  we  came  to  the  turning  which 
led  to  the  Big  Trees.  It  is  a  ride  of  two  hours  up 
to  the  grove,  and  the  snow  was  from  three  to  five 
feet  deep  the  last  part  of  the  way.  My  readers  will 
remember  that  this  excursion  was  made  early  in  the 
month  of  May.  By  the  middle  of  June  it  would  be 
difficult  to  find  a  snow-bank  in  the  most  sequestered 
part  of  the  grove. 

"How  shall  we  know  when  we  come  to  the  Big 


132  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Trees?"  asked  the  eager  aspirant  for  knowledge 
who  accompanies  every  party.  "You'll  know  'em 
when  you  see  'em,"  was  the  laconic  reply  of  the  mule 
driver ;  and  so  we  did ;  the  great  red  and  black  mon- 
sters needed  no  introduction.  There  they  stood, 
these  giants  of  the  forest,  as  they  have  stood  for 
thousands  of  years.  Fires  have  roared  and  blazed 
about  them  and  burned  their  trunks  and  branches, 
and  literally  disembowelled  some  of  them  so  that  you 
can  look  up  through  them  as  through  a  tall  chimney, 
but  their  upper  branches  are  full  of  life,  and  green 
tufts  of  leaves  crown  their  tops.  The  ice  and  snow 
of  a  thousand  winters  have  wrapped  them  around  in 
chilly  embrace,  and  furious  tempests  have  torn  off 
immense  limbs,  but  neither  fire,  nor  frost,  nor  win- 
ter's furious  storms,  nor  summer's  glowing  heat, 
have  done  aught  but  reveal  their  sturdy  strength, 
their  majestic  and  awe-inspiring  character.  They 
have  been  named  for  states  which  are  infants  in  age 
compared  with  them,  and  for  great  generals  whose 
names  will  be  forgotten  long  before  these  massive 
trunks  decay  and  their  towering  pinnacles  are  levelled 
in  the  dust.  They  are  the  creations  of  One  who  is 
without  beginning  of  days  or  end  of  life ;  and  more 
than  any  living  and  growing  thing  that  I  have  seen 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  they  seem  to  partake  of 
the  divine  element  of  unchanging  and  continuous 
existence.  It  is  solemnizing  to  stand  in  the  pres- 
ence of  living  creatures  which  have  existed  ever  since 
Moses  climbed  into  Sinai  and  communed  with  the 
invisible  God;  to  see  a  growing  crown  of  vigorous 
leaves  and  branches  on  the  head  of  a  giant  who  was 


BIG   TREES,   SANTA    CRUZ 


CALIFORNIA   BIG   TREES  133 

a  forest  king  when  David  reigned  in  Zion;  to  wind 
a  cord  around  a  tree  until  it  measures  ninety-four 
feet,  and  then  to  look  up  along  the  body  of  this 
Grizzly  Giant,  beside  whom  Goliath  would  be  an 
insect,  and  see  his  red  right  arm  branch  out  six  feet 
in  diameter,  eighteen  feet  around,  at  the  height  of 
nearly  two  hundred  feet. 

Figures  give  little  idea  of  the  size,  and  pictures 
only  an  imperfect  impression  of  the  shape  and  col- 
oring and  grandeur  of  these  trees.  When  I  say  that, 
the  snow  being  cleared  away,  a  four-horse  coach 
could  be  driven  through  the  living  body  of  the  tree 
called  Wawona,  and  that  many  of  the  trees  are  larger 
at  the  base,  and  a  hundred  feet  higher  than  the 
Bunker  Hill  Monument,  some  comparisons  may  be 
made.  There  are  higher  trees  than  these  in  Austra- 
lia, but  none  that  combine  girth  and  height  like  the 
Sequoia  Gigantea,  of  the  Mariposa  and  Calaveras 
groves. 

Mr.  John  Muir,  who  knows  as  much  as  any  one 
of  the  Big  Trees,  says  of  them:  "There  is  some- 
thing wonderfully  telling  and  impressive  about 
Sequoia,  even  when  beheld  at  a  distance  of  several 
miles.  Its  dense  foliage  and  smoothly  rounded  out- 
lines enable  us  to  recognize  it  in  any  company,  and 
when  one  of  the  oldest  patriarchs  attains  full  stature 
on  some  commanding  ridge,  it  seems  the  very  god  of 
the  woods.  Full-grown  specimens  are  about  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  measured  about  the  swell- 
ing base,  and  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high. 
Trees  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  are  not  rare,  and 
one  is  now  and  then  found  thirty  feet  in  diameter, 


134  BEYOND   THE   KOCKIES 

but  very  rarely  any  larger.  The  grandest  specimen 
that  I  have  measured  is  a  stump  about  ninetj'-  feet 
high,  which  is  thirty-five  feet  eight  inches  in  diame- 
ter, measured  inside  the  bark,  above  the  bulging 
base.  The  wood  is  dull  purplish  red  in  color,  easily 
worked,  and  very  enduring,  lasting,  even  when  ex- 
posed to  the  weather,  for  hundreds  of  years.  Fortu- 
nate old  trees,  that  have  passed  their  three  thou- 
sandth birthday,  without  injury  from  lightning, 
present  a  mount-like  summit  of  warm  yellow-green 
foliage,  and  their  colossal  shafts  are  of  a  beautiful 
brown  color,  exquisitely  tapered,  and  branchless  to 
a  height  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  Younger  trees 
have  darker,  bluish  foliage,  and  shoot  up  with  tops 
comparatively  sharp." 

In  the  lower  grove,  which  we  first  entered,  there 
are  about  one  hundred  fine  trees,  and  here  stands 
the  "Grizzly  Giant."  The  upper  grove  contains 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  big  trees,  and  in  that 
grove  stands  the  "Chimney,"  burned  through  from 
base  to  point,  and  yet  living  and  branching;  and  the 
tunnelled  tree,  through  whose  heart,  as  I  have  said, 
the  stage  road  has  been  cut.  This  tree  is  twenty- 
seven  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  road  which  passes 
through  it  is  ten  feet  wide. 

The  bark  of  the  Sequoia,  which  is  sometimes  two 
feet  thick,  is  of  a  dark,  rich  cinnamon  tint,  and  is 
channelled  toward  the  base  with  vertical  furrows. 
The  cones,  which  mature  in  about  five  years,  are 
about  the  size  and  shape  of  a  turkey's  egg. 

Sequoia  Sempervirens,  or  the  redwood  of  the  Coast 
Range,  is  a  near  relative  of  the  Gigantea,  but  they 


CALIFORNIA   BIG   TREES  135 

are  never  found  together;  the  latter  is  found  in  the 
region  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  only,  and  the  former  on 
the  Coast  Range.  The  redwood  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest forest  trees  of  California,  and  the  Big  Tree 
Grove,  near  Santa  Cruz,  is  the  finest  single  group 
of  trees  in  California. 

We  had  visited  these  before  we  went  to  the  Yo- 
semite,  and  were,  therefore,  in  a  measure  prepared 
for  the  sight  of  the  Mariposa  giants,  but  the  largest 
of  the  Santa  Cruz  trees  is  but  seventy  feet  in  cir- 
cumference. In  one  of  these,  a  tree  called  the 
"Giant,"  three  hundred  feet  high  and  twenty-one 
feet  across,  General  Fremont  camped  for  several 
days,  in  1847,  and  there  is  an  interesting  photo- 
graph of  the  general  and  a  family  party,  hand  in 
hand,  as  they  formed  a  circle  around  this  tree  many 
years  after.  It  took  thirteen  full-grown  people,  with 
outstretched  hands,  to  encircle  the  tree,  and  the 
number  does  not  seem  to  have  been  unlucky  to  the 
tree  or  the  measurers. 

A  fine  specimen  of  a  trunk  made  of  genuine  bark 
was  on  exhibition  at  the  Chicago  Fair,  and  also 
a  pavilion  made  of  the  wood  from  San  Mateo  County. 
The  wood  is  plentiful  in  smaller  growth,  is  easily 
worked,  finely  grained,  and  of  much  value  to  the 
state. 

The  peculiar  growth  of  several  groups  in  the  Santa 
Cruz  Grove,  standing,  as  they  do,  in  a  circle,  with 
their  roots  intermingling,  seems  to  point  to  the 
probability  that  they,  gigantic  as  they  seem,  are  but 
younger  children  of  some  giant  mother  whose  pro- 
portions would  have  dwarfed  them  to  pigmies.     This 


136  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

peculiarity  of  redwood  growth  is  apparent  every- 
where in  the  forests  of  to-day ;  no  sooner  has  one  of 
the  mighty  ones  fallen  than  there  spring  up  around 
its  roots  a  circle  of  tall,  young  shoots,  representing 
all  the  features  of  the  parent  tree.  Those  who  have 
explored  the  "Big  Basin,"  a  vast  tract  of  totally 
unbroken  virgin  forest  northeast  of  the  mountain 
village  of  Boulder,  say  that  other  groves  showing 
individual  specimens  quite  as  large  as  those  here 
described  are  to  be  found  there. 

There  are  a  number  of  other  groves  of  Big  Trees 
in  California  which  we  did  not  visit,  but  the  Mari- 
posa and  Santa  Cruz  groups  are  as  good  types  as  can 
be  found,  and  are  worth  a  deal  of  trouble  and  pains 
to  see.  One  can  go  to  the  latter  grove  with  com- 
fort; of  the  ride  to  the  former  and  then  out  to  the 
railroad,  my  impressions  are  still  vivid  and  painful ; 
but  as  it  is  "better  to  have  loved  and  lost,  than  never 
to  have  loved  at  all,"  so  may  I  say,  it  is  better  to 
have  seen  these  wonders,  though  at  such  a  cost,  than 
never  to  have  looked  upon  them. 


XXII 
HETCH-HETCHY   VALLEY 

AN     INTERESTING     LETTER THE      CANON     OF     THE     TUO- 
LUMNE   AX      INDIAN       HIDING      PLACE  FISH      AND 

GAME 

While  publishing  letters  from  California  about 
the  Yosemite  Valley,  I  received  a  letter  enclosing  a 
most  interesting  account  of  a  visit  made  by  Rev. 
John  D.  Wells,  D.D.,  of  Brooklyn,  and  four  com- 
panions, to  the  Hetch-Hetchy  Valley,  which  has  an 
appropriate  place  in  this  volume.  This  valley  is  an 
outlet  of  the  canon  of  the  Tuolumne,  a  stream  which 
runs  for  a  part  of  its  course  parallel  with  the 
Merced  River,  and  has  many  and  beautiful  water- 
falls and  grand,  overhanging  cliffs.  Hetch-Hetchy 
is  described  as  a  smaller  Yosemite,  closely  resem- 
bling the  famous  valley  in  its  main  features. 

"  My  Dear  Dr.  Stoddard :  I  send  you  an  account 
of  a  visit  made  by  the  Rev.  Arthur  Crosby,  of  San 
Rafael,  his  son  and  two  other  boys,  and  myself  in 
the  summer  of  1887,  to  Hetch-Hetchy  Valley,  while 
we  were  on  our  way  to  Yosemite.  It  may  possibly 
come  in  somewhere  with  your  interesting  letters 
from  and  about  California  and  its  wonders,  many  of 
which  I  saw. 

137 


138  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

"On  the  second  day  of  May,  1887,  I  left  home  for 
the  Pacific  coast.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  I  gave 
four  free  lectures  to  my  people,  and  others  who  cared 
to  hear  them.  One  was  on  'The  Valleys  of  Califor- 
nia, especially  Hetch-Hetchy  and  Yosemite.' 

"  I  have  read  your  letters  with  interest,  following 
you  from  place  to  place,  and  greatly  enjoying  your 
incidents  of  travel,  and  your  vivid  descriptions  of 
what,  in  many  cases,  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes.  But 
you  did  not  travel  in  a  conveyance  at  your  own  dis- 
posal, with  good  saddle-horses  beside,  for  a  whole 
month.  So  we  travelled,  —  two  men,  and  three  nice 
boys  about  fifteen  years  old,  and  school  companions. 
Moreover,  we  camped  under  the  open  heavens  with- 
out rain  or  dew,  visiting  the  valley  whose  name 
heads  this  article,  Yosemite,  and  the  Calaveras  big 
tree  groves,  north  and  south. 

"Not  one  in  a  thousand  of  excursionists  to  Yrosem- 
ite  turns  out  of  his  way  to  visit  Hetch-Hetchy. 
The  multitude  go  through  by  stage,  and  are  impa- 
tient of  delay.  I  am  not  sure  that  any  party  but 
ours  —  other  than  men  in  charge  of  sheep  and  horses, 
and  some  Indians  —  had  entered  it  for  years,  and  I 
learned  after  my  lecture  that  some  wide-awake  sight- 
seers, with  time  and  money  at  their  disposal,  and 
quite  at  home  in  the  Sierras,  were  incredulous  as  to 
the  existence  of  the  valley. 

"  We  reached  Crocker's,  within  twenty-two  miles 
of  Yosemite,  on  Saturday,  intending  to  push  on  to 
the  great  valley  that  afternoon,  but  we  yielded  to  the 
earnest  request  that  we  would  spend  the  Sabbath 
there,  and   preach   to   people    who    seldom  heard  a 


HETCH-HETCHY    VALLEY  139 

sermon.  It  was  while  there  that  we  heard  of  Hetch- 
Hetchy,  and  were  strongly  advised  to  visit  it.  Ac- 
cordingly, Monday,  June  13,  we  left  at  Crocker's  all 
superfluous  belongings,  and  turned  from  the  main 
road  abruptly  to  the  north  —  with  all  our  beasts  — 
for  a  drive  and  a  ride  of  about  nineteen  miles,  to  a 
veritable  valley  hid  among  the  munitions  of  rocks, 
and  reached  only  by  the  obscurest  of  roads  and  the 
hardest  of  trails.  We  lost  our  way  more  than  once, 
but  it  led  us  a  charming  route  through  woods,  and 
by  lakes  and  natural  meadows,  to  Ackerson's  Ranch, 
and  after  that  to  Hog  Ranch,  —  still  Hog  Ranch  on 
the  maps,  though  blooded  sheep  long  since  took  the 
place  of  swine. 

"  Then  we  packed  our  beds  and  provisions  on  Pet 
and  Prince,  the  saddle-horses,  and  bidding  adieu  for 
the  time  to  our  teamster,  and  to  Gee,  our  Chinese 
cook,  we  two  men  and  three  boys,  and  jubilant  Buck, 
the  dog,  struck  into  the  hard  trail  for  a  tramp  to  the 
valley-  We  were  in  the  higher,  but  not  the  highest, 
Sierras.  However,  they  were  high  enough  for  our 
wind  and  muscle.  It  is  one  thing  to  climb  eight  or 
ten  thousand  feet  toward  the  stars,  with  iron  horses 
to  puff  and  tug  all  the  way  up,  while  you  sit  at  your 
ease  on  cushioned  seats,  and  quite  another  thing  to 
puff  and  tug  for  yourself.  But  there  is  no  easier 
way  to  reach  the  interesting  locality  of  which  I 
write. 

"  Hetch-Hetchy  Valley  became  known  to  white 
men  in  1867.  Long  before,  it  was  a  hiding-place  for 
Indians,  and  it  is  still  visited  from  }Tear  to  year  by 
Pah  Utes  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  acorns  from 


140  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

majestic  trees,  under  some  of  which  we  found  shel- 
ter from  the  sun. 

"In  the  summer  of  1873,  the  remarkable  canon  of 
the  Tuolumne  River  east  and  a  little  north  of  Hetch- 
Hetchy  was  explored  to  Soda  Springs,  a  distance  of 
about  twenty-two  miles. 

"  We  enter  the  valley  on  the  southwest,  after  hours 
of  toil,  and  feel  at  once  the  power  of  its  mingled, 
yet  contrasted,  beauty  and  grandeur.  There  are,  in 
fact,  two  valleys,  the  western  —  into  which  our  trail 
brought  us  by  a  sharp  descent  —  being  a  mile  in 
length  and  from  an  eighth  to  the  half  of  a  mile  in 
width.  It  was  the  pasture  ground  of  about  twenty 
mares  and  their  colts,  gleaming  in  the  sunlight  as 
if  groomed  by  an  hostler  every  day. 

"  The  eastern  valley  is  about  two  miles  long  and  of 
ranging  width,  though  nowhere  more  than  half  a 
mile.  It  was  the  pasture  ground  of  sheep,  and  is 
parted  from  the  western  valley  by  a  bold  spur  of 
granite  from  the  south,  reaching  quite  to  the  Tuo- 
lumne River.  In  this  spur  there  is  a  depression 
through  which  a  path  leads  from  valley  to  valley. 

"  Out  of  these  narrow  canons  snow  waters  issue, 
making  up  the  Tuolumne  that  waters  the  valley  as 
a  whole.  Having  done  this  service,  and  spread  out 
its  beauty  to  the  sun,  it  passes  into  a  narrow  gorge 
at  the  west,  —  so  narrow,  indeed,  that  when  the 
water  is  high  in  the  spring  it  is  dammed  up,  and  the 
valley,  from  end  to  end,  becomes  a  rock-bound  lake. 
Then,  too,  a  large  body  of  water  from  the  melting 
snows  plunges  over  the  lower  rocks  on  the  north, 
a  thousand  feet,  into  the  lake  below. 


HETCH-HETCHY   VALLEY  141 

"  I  have  yet  to  notice  three  of  the  most  striking  feat- 
ures of  Hetch-Hetchy  Valley.  One  is  a  perpendicu- 
lar bluff  on  the  north  side,  almost  two  thousand  feet 
high,  bearing  a  remarkable  resemblance  to  El  Capi- 
tan  in  Yosemite,  which  is  thirty-two  hundred  feet 
high. 

"Another  is  a  waterfall  bearing  the  name  of  the 
valley,  and  corresponding  with  Yosemite  Fall.  It 
is  seventeen  hundred  feet  from  top  to  bottom,  though 
not  a  sheer  perpendicular  drop. 

"  The  third,  and  I  think  most  impressive  of  all,  is  a 
triple  dome  on  the  south  side,  springing,  not  like 
the  domes  in  Yosemite,  from  the  stupendous  walls 
of  the  valley,  but  a  majestic  object  by  itself,  of  vast 
diameter  and  height,  forced  up  in  plastic  condition, 
with  a  second  smaller  dome  surmounting  it,  and  a 
third  still  smaller  one  surmounting  the  second.  The 
third  is  fractured,  but  worthy  the  place  it  holds  on 
the  crown  of  a  structure  more  majestic  and  enduring 
than  the  pyramids  of  Egypt,  —  the  very  '  weakness 
of  God,'  in  nature  as  in  grace,  stronger  than  men. 

"After  this  it  may  seem  almost  like  sacrilege  to 
add,  that  on  the  low  pass  between  the  two  valleys, 
we  saw  the  remnants  of  a  sheep  killed  two  nights 
before  by  a  bear,  and  on  a  ride  through  the  valley  on 
Pet,  far  to  the  east,  at  the  only  cabin  occupied  by 
men,  I  saw  the  pelts  of  three  sheep  struck  down  at 
midday,  only  a  few  hours  later,  by  the  same  or  an- 
other bear. 

"  Moreover,  the  night  we  spent  in  the  valley  in  the 
open  air  with  a  roaring  fire  at  our  feet,  was  made 
vocal,  if  not  melodious  and  restful,  by  the  unearthly 


142  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

yawling  of  wild-cats  that  could  not  agree  to  be  neigh- 
borly, and  were  not  willing  to  fight  it  out  and  have 
done  with  it.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  we 
repacked  our  blankets,  and,  repaid  a  thousand-fold 
for  our  visit,  began  our  climb  toward  the  crest  of  the 
rocks,  up  a  winding  and  zizgag  trail,  and  our  tramp 
down  to  Hog  Ranch.  We  spent  Tuesday  night  at 
Hog  Ranch,  two  of  us  sleeping  in  the  house,  and  four, 
including  the  teamster,  in  the  barn.  And  when  we 
started  for  Crocker's,  Wednesday  morning,  we  were 
hardly  out  of  sight  of  the  house  before  we  missed 
the  road,  so  blind  was  the  way,  and  went  four  .miles 
before  we  knew  certainly  that  we  were  wrong.  Of 
course  we  were  obliged  to  turn  back  and  begin  anew. 

"  On  our  way  back  to  Crocker's,  losing  the  trail,  we 
saw  four  beautiful  deer,  and  although  we  got  no 
venison,  we  stocked  our  larder  with  two  mountain 
pigeons,  nearly  twice  the  size  of  our  Eastern  birds, 
and  a  hundred  and  fifty  trout  from  the  middle  fork 
of  the  Tuolumne  River. 

"The  next  day  we  entered  Yosemite,  that  wonder- 
ful cathedral  of  God,  down  the  graded  road  that 
brought  us  to  the  base  of  El  Capitan,  and  just 
beneath  the  Royal  Arches  we  camped  two  memor- 
able days. 

"  Let  me  add  that  no  one  should  go  from  Yosemite 
to  Hetch-Hetchy,  but  reverse  the  order,  as  Hetch- 
Hetchy  tones  one's  nerves  for  the  awful  depths  and 
heights  of  Yosemite.  We  were  thankful  that  we 
had  seen  the  smaller  valle}7  and  lower  walls  first. 
"  Yours  sincerely, 

"John  D.  Wells." 


XXIII 
EL   MONTE 

ROUGH       TRAVELLING  MONTEREY  ITS       FOUNDATION 

AND     HISTORY THE     HOTEL     DEL     MONTE AN     ARTI- 
FICIAL    PARADISE FLOWERS,    SHRUBS,    AND     TREES 

A      PRIEST'S      MONUMENT THE       OLD      OAK PACIFIC 

GROVE THE  SEVENTEEN-MILE  DRIVE SEALS,  SHELLS, 

BUFFALOES,    AND    BEARS STRANGE    CYPRESSES 

Travelling  in  California  is  laborious,  for  the 
distances  are  long,  the  railroads  winding,  and  their 
tracks  unsettled,  and  the  food  stations  far  apart. 
The  stage  routes  are  over  rough  roads,  where  nothing 
but  the  sublime  scenery  and  pure  air  would  compen- 
sate for  the  jolting  and  jouncing  to  which  the  travel- 
ler is  subjected.  Many  people  travel,  both  for  busi- 
ness and  pleasure,  and  therefore  trains,  and  coaches, 
and  hotels  are  crowded.  Under  such  conditions  the 
traveller  in  California  is  fortunate  to  have  some 
places  of  rest  where  he  can  not  only  "take  his  ease 
in  his  inn,"  but  find  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries 
which  he  requires.  There  are  a  number  of  such 
resorts  in  the  state,  notably  at  Coronado  Beach,  near 
San  Diego,  at  Redondo  Beach  and  Santa  Monica, 
near  Los  Angeles,  at  Santa  Barbara  and  Santa  Cruz, 
and   last   and   most   famous   of   all,   the    Hotel   del 

143 


144  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Monte,  near  Monterey,  on  the  Pacific,  and  a  few 
hours1  ride  from  San  Francisco.  There,  after  our  long 
ride  from  Santa  Barbara,  having  climbed  the  coast 
line  of  mountains,  dined  at  Mojave,  and  swung 
around  the  fearful  loop  where  the  railroad  doubles 
upon  itself  at  a  dizzy  height,  and  breakfasted  from 
our  lunch-basket  at  Tracy,  we  came  to  anchor  for  a 
long  and  satisfying  rest. 

Monterey  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  of  California, 
stretching  along  the  bay  of  the  same  name,  with 
adobe  and  brick  and  wooden  houses,  according  to  the 
date  of  their  construction.  Here,  eighteen  years 
before  the  Pilgrims  landed  at  Plymouth,  Don  Sebas- 
tian Vizcaino  landed  with  two  priests  and  a  body 
of  soldiers,  and  took  possession  of  the  country  for 
Philip  III.  of  Spain.  A  cross  was  erected  and  an 
altar  raised,  and  the  first  mass  celebrated  on  this 
part  of  the  coast.  The  place  was  named  in  honor  of 
the  viceroy  of  Mexico,  who  was  Count  of  Monterey, 
and  the  projector  of  the  expedition.  Unlike  the 
New  England  landing,  this  at  Monterey  did  not  grow 
into  a  settlement  for  more  than  a  century  and  one- 
half.  In  1770,  Father  Junipero  Serra,  the  founder 
of  the  Franciscan  missions  on  these  shores,  whose 
name  is  still  held  in  reverence  and  whose  statue 
adorns  a  hill  at  Monterey,  established  a  misson  here, 
which  was  afterwards  removed  to  Carmelo  Valley. 
five  miles  from  the  Bay  of  Monterey.  The  old  stone 
church  then  erected  still  stands,  and  beneath  its 
sanctuary  repose  the  bones  of  the  venerable  Francis- 
can and  three  of  his  associates.  In  1813  the  Span- 
ish  missions    in    California   numbered    twenty-one, 


EL   MONTE  145 

with  annual  revenues  of  two  millions  of  dollars. 
Then  came  their  struggle  with  the  Mexican  Inde- 
pendents, the  downfall  of  Spanish  authority  in  Mex- 
ico, and  with  it  the  overthrow  of  the  Franciscans, 
in  1822,  and,  finally,  the  abolition  of  the  missions 
and  the  confiscation  of  their  property  in  1845. 

In  1842,  Commodore  Jones,  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  seized  Monterey  and  held  it  for  a  short  time ; 
then  he  apologized  and  withdrew.  In  1846,  Gen- 
eral John  C.  Fremont  was  here  with  his  expedition, 
and  in  this  same  year  of  the  Mexican  War,  Commo- 
dore Sloat  planted  the  stars  and  stripes  on  the  old 
Presidio  and  was  appointed  the  military  governor 
of  the  territory.  In.  1850,  California  was  admitted 
into  the  Union,  the  state  government  was  established 
at  San  Jose,  San  Francisco  began  to  rise  in  business 
and  enterprise,  and  Monterey  ceased  to  be  more  than 
a  health  and  seaside  resort  for  the  northern  part 
of  the  state.  It  has  that  character  and  reputation 
now.  Its  weather  is  not  so  warm  either  in  summer 
or  winter  as  in  other  parts  of  California  farther  south, 
but  the  temperature  is  more  even  than  can  be  found 
elsewhere.  The  January  average  is  fifty  degrees 
Fahrenheit,  the  July  average  sixty-five.  In  a  period 
of  five  years,  1887  to  1892,  the  temperature  was  only 
four  times  over  ninety  degrees,  and  seven  times  at 
the  freezing  point.  It  was  a  sagacious  choice  which 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  made  of  a 
place  to  build  a  hotel  which  would  refresh  the  trav- 
eller with  its  salubrious  atmosphere,  while  it  charmed 
him  with  its  lovely  surroundings.  Probably  no 
greater  success  has  been  achieved  in  combining  com- 


146  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

fort,  elegance,  economy,  and  beauty  in  a  seaside 
hotel,  than  at  the  Hotel  del  Monte  at  Monterey.  I 
say  this,  not  to  advertise  a  place  which  for  a  dozen 
years  has  been  the  delight  of  thousands  of  tourists 
from  all  over  the  world;  whose  vistas  are  familiar  to 
all  lovers  of  art;  whose  gardens  have  merited  the 
encomiums  of  so  great  a  botanist  as  Professor  Asa  C. 
Gra}-,  and  of  which  the  homely  words  of  the  Princess 
Louise  to  the  manager  of  the  hotel  express  the  opin- 
ion of  every  guest :  "  You  have  the  most  beautiful 
place,  and  the  cleanest  and  the  best-kept  hotel  that 
I  have  ever  visited  in  my  travels." 

What,  then,  are  the  charms  of  El  Monte,  besides 
its  moderate  prices,  its  exquisite  neatness,  and  its 
dainty  and  delicious  table?  Let  me  name  a  few  of 
them  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  not  seen  or 
read  of  the  place. 

In  1880,  the  railroad  company  opened  the  hotel. 
It  is  an  immense  building,  occupying  three  sides  of 
a  hollow  square,  so  large  that  sunlight  floods  the 
quadrangle  all  day  long.  Every  room  looks  out 
upon  a  beautiful  garden,  filled  with  the  choicest  of 
flowers  and  plants  and  shrubs,  and  kept  in  perfect 
order  under  the  supervision  of  one  of  the  most  skil- 
ful and  practical  gardeners  in  the  world.  No  foreign 
gardens  that  I  have  seen  are  finer  or  more  varied, 
more  delicate  or  lovely,  than  El  Monte.  Nature 
offers  advantages  of  climate  and  soil  which  do  not 
exist  in  any  other  civilized  regions  of  the  earth,  and 
of  these  Mr.  Clack,  the  gardener,  has  availed  him- 
self to  the  utmost.  The  building,  with  its  spacious 
halls   and    large    public   rooms,  where    comfort    and 


EL   MONTE  147 

neatness  are  visible  on  every  side,  has  wide  verandas 
and  inclosed  piazzas,  many  staircases  and  conven- 
iences on  every  floor,  airy  and  light  rooms,  parlors, 
and  music  halls,  and  everything  white  and  clean, 
warm  and  well  ventilated,  restful  to  eye  and  ear 
and  brain.  If  I  were  a  nervous  invalid  and  craved 
repose  in  the  midst  of  a  garden  of  delights,  I  should 
come  here  and  secure  a  room  in  one  of  the  long 
wings,  and  sit  at  the  window  and  listen  to  the  dis- 
tant murmur  of  the  waves  on  the  bay-shore,  or  to  the 
song  of  the  meadow  larks  on  the  lawns,  and  look  out 
upon  the  flower-beds,  where  art  and  nature  have 
worked  together  to  produce  most  wonderful  effects, 
or  into  the  depths  of  the  forest  of  liveoak  and  lofty 
pines,  which  were  provided  as  the  setting  for  this 
grand  palace  of  delights,  till  my  weary  brain  was 
flooded  with  quiet  beauty,  and  life-giving  and  health- 
producing  impressions  began  to  drive  out  tiresome 
thoughts  and  wearying  fancies.  Many  have  done 
so,  and  }*et  this  is  not  so  much  a  resort  for  the  sick 
and  the  invalid  as  a  place  of  rest  for  the  tired,  a 
temporary  home  for  tourists  and  travellers,  and  a 
resort  for  residents  of  the  Northwest  and  of  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  Some  guests  come  from  the  East,  and 
make  the  place  their  home  during  those  months  when 
Boston,  and  Xew  York,  and  Philadelphia  are  wrapped 
in  snow  and  vexed  with  wild  winter  winds. 

"El  Monte"  means  "the  forest,"  and  the  Spanish 
name  is  the  simplest  and  most  truthful  that  could  be 
given  to  the  place,  for  while  the  hotel  stands  in  a 
large  and  lovely  garden,  the  garden  is  encircled  by 
a  forest  of  liveoak,  pine,  and  cedar  trees,  of  great 


148  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

size  and  incalculable  asre.  Here  the  strange  and 
distorted  combinations  of  trunks  and  limbs  which 
characterize  the  California  liveoaks,  are  gracefully 
hidden  or  modified  by  sweeping  draperies  of  moss, 
or  deftly  guided  ivy  and  myrtle  vines.  Vast  lawns 
of  green  myrtle,  gemmed  with  large  blue  flowers, 
stretch  beneath  the  trees ;  in  the  midst  of  a  circle  of 
tall  trees  an  Arizona  garden  with  every  variety  of 
cactus,  from  the  smallest  needle  to  the  towering 
yucca,  and  the  wide-spreading  aloe,  suddenly  ap- 
pears ;  a  curious  and  formally  trimmed  cypress 
"  maze  "  invites  the  vagrant  pleasure-seeker  to  lose 
himself  in  its  verdant  toils;  a  lake,  curving  about 
beautifully  wooded  shores,  offers  boats  safe  and  free 
to  all  guests  to  navigate  its  hidden  bays  and  verdur- 
ous recesses ;  concealed  from  view  by  dense  thickets, 
parties  are  playing  tennis  and  croquet  and  bowls  in 
open  courts  with  ample  sunshine  and  abundant  room. 
About  three  hundred  feet  distant  from  the  main 
building,  in  a  grand  grove  and  garden,  stands  the 
club-house,  where  gentlemen  and  ladies  resort  for 
bowling  and  other  indoor  sports;  while  down  by 
the  bay,  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  hotel,  is  the 
glass-roofed  bathing  pavilion,  where  salt  and  fresh 
water  at  any  temperature  are  provided  in  great  swim- 
ming tanks,  over  which  hang  baskets  of  blooming 
plants,  and  on  whose  decks  stand  tropical  plants  of 
all  sorts.  These  are  some  of  the  pleasant  features 
of  this  charming  place,  all  of  which  maybe  enhanced 
by  agreeable  company  and  a  happy  disposition. 

That  I  may  not  be  charged  with  exaggeration,  let 
me  add  the  words  of  another  writer  upon  the  place. 


EL   MONTE  140 

He  says:  "In  the  midst  of  the  forest  sits  the  Hotel 
del  Monte,  with  its  one  hundred  and  twenty-six 
acres  of  garden,  —  the  finest,  the  most  gorgeous,  the 
richest,  the  most  varied  in  all  the  world,  the  famous 
gardens  of  Kew  and  Kensington  not  excepted.  It 
is  not  alone  in  summer  that  flowers  bloom ;  in  the 
middle  of  winter  the  grounds  are  lively  with  the 
color  of  blooming  roses,  pansies,  and  countless  other 
flowers,  while  stretches  of  the  tenderest  plants,  with 
callas  and  heliotropes  in  prominent  lead,  are  seen 
on  every  hand.  The  marvellous  ribbon  beds,  with 
minute  details  of  infinite  variety  of  forms  and  com- 
binations, exist  in  all  their  beauty  throughout  the 
year,  and  the  section  called  'Arizona" — made  up 
entirely  of  cacti,  many  of  extreme  sensitiveness  to 
cold  —  remains  continually  in  prickly  and  rebellious 
thrift.  Ivy,  honey-suckles,  and  nasturtiums  grow 
in  rampant  luxuriousness,  kept  in  decorous  limits 
only  by  the  free  use  of  shears.  In  January  and  Feb- 
ruary, the  first  grand  burst  of  spring  color  comes  in 
the  form  of  great  beds  of  narcissus,  tulips,  crocuses, 
crown  imperials,  and  the  whole  long  list  of  Holland 
gems,  arranged  in  beds  of  conventional  design,  in 
ribbons  of  dazzling  colors,  in  trefoils,  hearts,  and 
every  conceivable  form.  All  the  rare  and  beautiful 
flowering  plants  of  countries  south  of  the  equator 
have  found  a  congenial  home  in  these  grounds,  and 
as  their  native  summers  are  coincident  with  our 
winters,  and  as  in  their  own  countries  they  are 
summer-blooming  plants,  the  habit  in  time  of  bloom 
which  is  a  part  of  their  nature,  persists  in  transplan- 
tation ;  and  this  soft  climate  encourages  this  habit, 


150  BEYOND    THE   EOCKIES 

so  that  during  the  winter  months  there  may  be  seen 
in  this  vast  flower-garden,  plants  that  exist  nowhere 
else  in  Europe  or  North  America  outside  of  some 
isolated  or  cramped  conservatories."  The  local  con- 
ditions for  the  culture  of  flowers  are  not  equalled 
in  the  world,  and  there  are  great  stretches  of  blue 
grass  lawns  between  smooth  and  clean  roads  and 
walks  where  the  daintiest  shoe  would  not  be  soiled. 

Every  place  has  its  pleasant  and  special  features. 
El  Monte  is  especially  noted  for  the  natural  beauties 
which  capital  and  labor  in  a  happy  union  have  pro- 
duced and  gathered  there.  But  there  are  outside 
objects  of  interest  which  aid  in  making  Monterey  an 
attractive  and  desirable  place  for  rest  and  recreation. 

There  are  short  drives  along  the  beach  to  the 
famous  old  oak,  whose  gnarled  and  widespreading 
branches  cover  half  an  acre,  and  under  which  a  Sun- 
day school  could  sit;  or  to  the  statue  of  Father  Juiii- 
pero  Serra,  who  landed  at  Monterey  in  1770.  This 
statue  stands  on  a  high  bluff  overlooking  the  bay, 
not  far  from  the  town,  and  was  erected  by  the  wife 
of  the  late  Senator  Stanford.  Or  one  can  take  the 
street-car  which  runs  through  Monterey,  goes  on  to 
Pacific  Grove,  and  ends  at  Lake  Majella  among  the 
sand-hills. 

Pacific  Grove  was  begun  as  a  Methodist  camp- 
meeting  ground.  The  pine  forest  and  the  delicious 
sea  air  united  to  make  the  place  attractive,  and  its 
proximity  to  San  Francisco  added  to  its  popularity. 
It  was  laid  out  in  lots,  as  Asbury  Park  and  Oak 
Bluffs  and  other  Eastern  places  were,  at  first,  and 
tents  and  cloth  shelters  on  wooden  frames  were  set 


EL   MONTE  151 

up.  But  as  the  place  became  known  cottages  were 
built,  then  shops,  and  soon  the  population  increased 
beyond  all  expectation.  Prices  advanced,  the  Pa- 
cific Improvement  Company  was  formed,  and  took  in 
one  section  after  another,  till  now  the  town  covers 
an  area  of  more  than  two  square  miles,  has  many 
handsome  and  expensive  houses,  good  hotels,  and 
beautiful  flowers  and  flower-gardens.  The  place  is 
noted  for  piety  and  prohibition.  My  driver  said, 
emphatically:  ''There's  one  place  in  California 
where  you  can't  get  drunk."  He  seemed  surprised 
when  I  told  him  that  there  were  other  places  of  the 
same  character  in  the  state.  But  though  he  had 
driven  a  great  many  miles  for  many  years,  he  had 
not  travelled  far,  and  did  not  know  as  much  as  I  did 
about  California. 

Pacific  Grove  is  not  a  place  for  Sunday  carousals 
and  demoralizing  sport.  Its  government  is  patri- 
archal, and  it  is  a  home  for  the  pious,  the  cultured, 
and  the  gentle  people  who  love  to  meet  with  the 
Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  the  Chau- 
tauqua Assembly,  the  Sunday-school  Convention, 
and  similar  assemblies.  There  are  woodland  sports 
and  sea  pleasures  near  at  hand  for  all  who  seek  the 
place,  and  I  do  not  wonder  that  many  persons  come 
from  windy  San  Francisco  to  the  calm  and  restful 
pine  forest  which  crowns  this  peninsula. 

Just  beyond  the  grove  is  a  government  lighthouse 
built  of  granite  on  Point  Pinos.  There  the  huge 
rollers  of  the  western  ocean  swing  their  vast  masses 
over  the  rocks,  and  dash  upon  the  sand  whole  gardens 
of  seaweed  and  clouds  of  spray.     It  is  fascinating  to 


152  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

sit  on  Moss  Beach  and  watch  this  roaring,  seething 
tide,  and  then  to  walk  away  into  the  dense  woods 
where  one  may  see  a  deer  and  sometimes  a  wild-cat, 
or  to  sit  a  little  way  from  the  sandy  shore  embow- 
ered in  roses  and  geraniums  and  fragrant  lilies. 

The  Pacific  Improvement  Company,  one  of  the 
convenient  names  for  the  all-embracing  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad,  owns  a  tract  of  seven  thousand 
acres  on  this  pine-clad  point,  and  to  bring  the  prop- 
erty into  notice,  as  well  as  to  entertain  its  patrons, 
it  has  constructed  a  beautiful  drive  which  is  called 
the  seventeen,  eighteen,  or  nineteen  mile  drive, 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  road,  the  horses, 
and  the  driver.  I  have  taken  it  under  different  cir- 
cumstances, and  am  quite  sure  that  it  varies  in  length, 
like  the  sea  serpent.  The  route  is  through  the  town 
of  Monterey,  then  into  the  heart  of  Pacific  Grove, 
and  on  till  near  Moss  Beach,  which  is  left  upon  the 
right  as  we  come  out  upon  the  shore  of  the  Pacific. 
The  views  here  are  grand,  and  the  ocean  surf,  when 
the  wind  is  favorable,  is  as  fine  as  I  have  seen  on 
any  coast.  A  short  distance  from  the  shore,  a  lofty 
and  jagged  island  of  rock  rises  from  the  water.  It 
is  covered  with  huge  birds  and  seals.  There  are  far 
more  of  these  curious  creatures  here  than  at  San 
Francisco,  or  at  any  point  of  the  coast  south  of 
Alaska.  As  no  shooting  is  permitted,  the  seals  are 
tame,  and  it  is  a  strange  and  interesting  sight  to 
watch  their  clumsy  motions  out  of  the  water  and 
their  grace  when  in  it.  They  fill  the  air  with  barks 
which  sound  like  the  voice  of  a  dog  with  a  cold  in 
bis  head,  and  the  gulls  sing  an  appropriate  soprano. 


EL   MONTE  153 

The  driver  of  the  four-in-hand  has*  his  curios  to  ex- 
hibit. He  has  pointed  out  a  lonely  Chinaman  who 
lives  on  the  rocks  in  a  cabin  made  of  rough  boulders, 
and  sells  shells  and  fish,  and  now  he  calls  attention 
to  a  marvellous  gigantic  ostrich,  which  is  discovered 
to  be  formed  of  two  distant  cypress  trees ;  then  we 
are  introduced  to  Buffalo  Park,  where  can  be  seen 
that  almost  extinct  animal,  a  grizzly  bear,  which  de- 
lights to  play  with  a  jet  of  water  from  the  hose  of  a 
fire  engine,  and  beautiful  collections  of  pressed  sea- 
weeds and  polished  shells. 

The  most  interesting  feature  of  the  whole  drive, 
however,  is  Cypress  Point.  Here,  and  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, there  is  a  large  number  of  the  strangest 
trees  that  a  traveller  has  ever  seen.  They  bear  some 
resemblance  to  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  and  also  to 
those  of  Southern  Italy,  but  they  are  more  wind- 
twisted,  gray,  and  weird  than  either  of  these.  The 
bluffs  are  crowned  with  these  strange  growths,  their 
roots  and  trunks  clinging  to  and  grasping  rock  and 
crag  with  fierce  tenacity  and  desperate  strength,  their 
tops  flat  and  spreading  like  an  umbrella  that  shrinks 
before  the  gale  and  yet  defies  it.  They  are  unique 
in  their  grotesque  attitudes  and  grim  resemblance 
to  martyrs  and  tortured  captives.  They  will  not 
yield  to  their  tormentors,  nor  bow  down  before  them. 
So  far  as  it  is  possible,  they  will  fulfil  the  laws  of 
their  being,  will  grow  towards  heaven,  and  spread 
out  branches  and  leaves  into  the  sunlight ;  they  will 
live  and  not  die,  and  bear  their  fruit  according  to 
their  kind.  But  the  struggle,  which  has  evidentky 
been  going  on  for  centuries,  is  a  terrible  one,  and 


154  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

they  are  wrenched  and  torn  and  distorted  by  winter 
storms  that  have  dashed  upon  them  in  wild  fury  after 
a  terrific  race  over  four  thousand  miles  of  ocean,  and 
they  are  grizzled  and  gray  with  centuries  of  mist 
and  salt  spray.  Yet  they  stand  here,  moss-hung 
monsters,  giving  evidence,  according  to  some  judges, 
that  they  are  not  of  Spanish  origin,  that  they  are  not 
a  growth  from  cedar  of  Lebanon  seeds  brought  by 
pious  missionaries,  but  rather  that  they  were  old 
when  Christianity  was  young,  and  living  long  before 
Columbus  sailed  from  Palos.  How  these  things  are 
discovered  I  do  not  know,  but  judging  by  their  ap- 
pearance, they  are  very  venerable  and  afflicted  trees, 
and  I  felt  profoundly  respectful  and  sorry  for  them, 
as  I  would  for  an  aged  Mohammedan  undergoing  the 
bastinado. 

We  passed  on  to  the  long  and  sandy  Pescadero 
Beach  looking  out  to  Lobos  Point,  and  then  turning 
towards  Monterey,  came  to  the  crest  of  the  ridge 
which  runs  out  from  the  mainland  towards  the  waters 
of  Carmel  Bay.  The  views  from  this  ridge  in  every 
direction  are  superb,  and  at  a  swift  trot  we  swung 
down  over  a  fine  road  into  the  town  and  the  grounds 
of  El  Monte.  We  had  been  gone  four  hours,  but  we 
lingered  by  the  way.  We  tried  it  again  in  a  light 
wagon,  and  found  that  one  can  spin  around  the  drive 
in  two  hours,  and  also  that  a  whole  day  is  none  too 
long  for  a  picnic. 

This  is  but  a  sample  excursion.  One  can  find 
pleasant  company  here,  and  many  walks  and  drives 
to  pass  the  time.  Among  many  agreeable  leaves 
that  I  turn  in  the  book  of  memory,  a  very  pleasant 
one  is  inscribed,  El  Monte  and  Monterey. 


XXIV 
IN   THE    SANTA   CLARA   VALLEY 

INCIDENTS      AT    SANTA      CRUZ  SAN      JOSE CHURCHES, 

PUBLIC      BUILDINGS,     AXD      SCHOOLS LICK      OBSERVA- 
TORY  LELAND  STANFORD  JUNIOR  UNIVERSITY PALO 

ALTO     STABLES TRAINING     SCHOOL     FOR     FAST     TROT- 
TERS 

From  Monterey  we  went  to  Santa  Cruz.  A  beau- 
tiful beach,  fine  fishing,  and  flowers  in  profusion  are 
at  this  place,  and  on  account  of  its  mild  and  balmy 
air  and  sheltered  situation,  it  is  a  favorite  resort  in 
winter  for  persons  of  delicate  lungs.  Here,  too,  Mr. 
Sullivan  keeps  a  capital  hotel,  and  provides  a  rare 
assortment  of  horses  to  take  visitors  to  the  "Big 
Trees."  My  companion  in  travel  has,  for  excellent 
reasons,  a  decided  antipathy  to  a  skittish  horse,  and 
also  to  a  railroad-crossing  on  grade.  Our  drive  from 
Santa  Cruz  to  the  grove  was  for  these  reasons  not 
one  of  unmixed  delight.  Mr.  Sullivan's  pair  was 
badly  matched.  One  horse  sneezed  as  if  afflicted 
with  the  asthma,  and  his  mate  became  unmanageable 
at  every  sneeze.  The  driver,  with  the  imagination 
of  the  far  West,  invented  a  story  to  account  for  the 
peculiarities  of  his  team,  which  cannot  be  reproduced 
here.     Suffice  it  to  say  that,  between  the  sneezing 

155 


156  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

of  the  horse  and  the  apprehension  of  destruction  at 
railroad-crossings,  which  were  frequent  and  danger- 
ous, our  drive  through  the  grand  scenery  of  the  canon 
was  thrilling  and  disagreeable  in  the  extreme.  It  is 
better  to  take  the  narrow  gauge  road  to  the  "Big- 
Trees,"  stop  an  hour  or  two,  and  then  go  on  through 
the  mountains  to  the  Santa  Clara  Valley.  This  road 
runs  through  fine  scenery,  and  comes  out  from  wild 
mountain  gorges  into  the  beautiful  and  well  culti- 
vated region  in  which  San  Jos6,  one  of  the  earliest 
and  most  substantial  of  California  towns,  is  built. 

The  town  is  the  country  seat  of  Santa  Clara 
County,  and  the  chief  city  in  the  Santa  Clara  Val- 
ley. It  is  at  the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  and 
only  five  miles  distant  from  the  southern  arm  of  San 
Francisco  Bay.  It  was  founded  in  1777  by  the 
Spaniards,  who  had  just  established  the  Santa  Clara 
Mission.  There  is  a  population  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  in  the  town,  which  is  handsomely  laid  out 
with  fine  private  residences  standing  in  well-kept 
gardens,  and  costly  and  imposing  public  buildings. 
There  is  a  State  Normal  School  finely  situated  in  a 
cultivated  park  of  twenty-seven  acres,  a  new  city 
hall  of  noble  proportions  surrounded  by  a  beautiful 
park,  and  the  handsomest  court-house  in  the  State 
outside  of  San  Francisco.  The  churches  are  numer- 
ous, and  most  of  them  have  elegant  and  costly  edi- 
fices. Besides  a  public-school  system  which  is  said 
to  rival  those  of  Eastern  cities,  there  is  the  College 
of  Notre  Dame,  located  in  an  inclosure  of  ten  acres 
within  the  city  limits,  and  the  University  of  the 
Pacific,  under  the  direction  of  the  Methodist  Con- 


IN    THE   SANTA   CLARA   VALLEY  157 

ference.  Its  numerous  and  elegant  buildings  occupy 
twelve  acres,  and  include  an  astronomical  observa- 
tory and  a  conservatory  of  music.  On  the  site  of 
the  old  Santa  Clara  Mission,  three  miles  from  San 
Jose*,  the  Jesuits  have  a  college,  well  equipped  with 
libraries  and  philosophical  and  scientific  apparatus. 
Its  chapel  is  the  old  church  erected  by  the  Franciscan 
missionaries,  and  its  garden,  placed  in  an  inclosed 
court,  is  full  of  rare  and  beautiful  plants.  A  fine 
avenue,  three  miles  in  length,  bordered  by  ancient 
trees,  connects  Santa  Clara  and  San  Jose*.  Electric 
lights  and  railways  contribute  to  the  comfort  and 
convenience  of  the  citizens. 

At  San  Jos6  we  spent  several  days,  one  of  which 
was  the  Sabbath.  Several  of  the  pastors  were  ab- 
sent, attending  the  convention  of  the  Young  People's 
Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  which  was  held  at 
Fresno.  We  found  the  pastor  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  Rev.  Dr.  Densmore,  lately  of  Den- 
ver, in  his  pulpit,  and  heard  an  eloquent  sermon. 
Every  seat  was  occupied,  and  the  services  were  warm 
and  hearty. 

As  I  sat  with  the  minister  in  his  study  in  the 
afternoon,  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  a 
young  man  came  in.  In  a  few  words  he  told  his 
errand.  A  law  had  just  been  put  in  operation  which 
closed  all  the  saloons  in  the  city  on  Sunday.  A 
similar  law  had  already  closed  the  places  in  the 
county  outside,  where  liquor  could  be  had.  This 
Sunday  closing  had  driven  all  the  frequenters  of  the 
saloons  into  the  streets.  The  parks  were  full  of 
young  men  lounging   on  the  seats,  and  there  were 


158  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

crowds  at  every  corner  in  the  lower  part  of  the  town. 
The  young  man  had  come  to  the  pastor  for  help  to 
seize  the  opportunity  to  do  these  outsiders  some 
good.  "I  have  got  a  melodeon  and  a  man  to  play," 
said  he,  "and  now  I  want  some  young  men  to  go 
with  me  and  sing,  and  help  conduct  meetings  in  the 
parks.  There  is  a  great  chance  to  catch  some  fish  in 
the  gospel  net."  The  pastor  thought  so,  too.  He 
looked  through  his  notebook.  "  Most  of  my  young 
men  are  down  at  the  convention  at  Fresno,"  said  he; 
"but  there  is  Bissell,  who  can  sing  and  pray,  and 
Walters,  who  is  a  fair  speaker  " ;  and  he  rapidly  named 
a  half  a  dozen  others,  giving  their  addresses,  and  a 
word  or  two  of  advice.  "  Perhaps  you  can  lead  some 
of  them  to  our  evening  service,"  said  he.  With 
thanks  for  the  help  received,  the  young  Christian 
went  away,  and  there  were  a  dozen  extempore  prayer- 
meetings  that  night,  in  the  parks  and  streets  of  San 
Jose".  This  is  the  way  things  are  done  in  the  West. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  have  a  religious  debate  in  the 
session  every  time  an  opportunity  occurs  to  save 
souls.  The  pastor  is  alive,  the  young  people  are 
alive.  Christians  have  to  be  alive,  for  the  devil  is 
very  much  alive  and  still  thinks  that  he  has  a  pre- 
emptive right  upon  the  men  of  the  Pacific  slope. 
But  the  Christian  people  are  steadily  gaining  ground, 
and  those  who  have  lived  since  1849  know  what 
wonderful  changes  have  been  wrought. 

One  change,  however,  has  not  been  for  the  better. 
I  refer  to  the  Chinese  immigration  and  its  results. 
Almost  every  city  has  a  Chinese  quarter,  and  it  is 
usually  the  worst  place  in  town,  filthy,  densely  pop- 


IN   THE   SANTA   CLARA    VALLEY  159 

ulated,  full  of  opium  joints,  and  a  menace  to  physi- 
cal and  moral  health.  As  I  came  from  Dr.  Dens- 
more's  study,  a  Chinese  funeral  was  passing  down 
the  street.  There  were  from  twenty  to  thirty  car- 
riages full  of  people  beating  a  gong  and  scattering 
pieces  of  paper  along  the  highway  to  keep  off  the 
demons.  Behind  the  carriages  came  a  wagon  con- 
taining baskets  of  food,  and  a  live  pig  which  was  to 
be  offered  to  an  idol,  or  to  placate  the  supposed  evil 
spirits  who  were  hostile  to  the  departed. 

It  was  a  most  repulsive  spectacle  of  heathenism  in 
a  Christian  land,  the  most  public  and  unpleasant 
which  had  then  met  my  eyes.  Afterwards  in  San 
Francisco  I  saw  Chinatown  in  its  full  extent,  and 
also  saw  the  faithful  efforts  which  are  being  made 
in  schools  and  churches  to  convert  the  Chinese  to  the 
Christian  religion,  and  to  deliver. them  from  their 
bondage  to  opium. 

The  distance  from  San  Jose  to  the  James  Lick 
Observatory  on  Mount  Hamilton  and  return  is  fifty- 
six  miles.  The  trip  is  usually  made  in  one  day, 
though  some  persons  prefer  to  spend  the  night  at 
Smith  Creek,  seven  miles  from  the  Observator}-, 
where  there  is  an  indifferent  hotel,  and*  thus  divide 
the  journey.  There  is  no  accommodation  for  man 
and  beast  upon  the  summit  unless  they  belong  to  the 
Observatory  corps.  An  early  start  is  needful,  and 
good  company  is  essential  in  so  long  a  drive. 

The  first  four  miles  gradually  ascend  to  the  foot- 
hills where  the  Observatory  Road  begins.  This  road 
was  built  on  a  uniform  grade,  over  mountain  and 
valley   to    the    summit    of    Mount    Hamilton.       In 


160  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

selecting  Mount  Hamilton  as  the  site  for  the  Observ- 
atory, Mr.  Lick  made  it  a  condition  that  the  county 
of  Santa  Clara  should  build  to  the  summit  a  better 
road  than  any  in  California.  The  condition  was 
faithfully  executed  at  a  cost  of  seventy-eight  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  its  grade  was  so  carefully  planned 
that  the  rise  is  less  than  seven  feet  in  the  hundred. 
In  order  to  secure  this  grade,  it  was  necessary  to 
wind  along  hill-sides  and  make  sharp  turns  and  long 
reaches,  so  that  the  distance  traversed  is  nearly  three 
times  the  direct  line,  and  there  are  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  curves.  But  there  are  few  places  in 
the  road  where  even  a  timid  person  would  tremble, 
and  the  road-bed  is  as  smooth  and  well-kept  as  any 
in  the  world. 

Turning  from  the  long  avenue  which  leads  to  the 
foot-hills,  we  began  to  ascend  to  the  first  station 
where  relays  of  horses  await  the  coaches.  At  the 
Grand  View  House  a  beautiful  panorama  of  the  Santa 
Clara  Valley  is  spread  out.  The  Coast  ranges  of 
mountains  form  the  background,  San  Jose  lies  spread 
out  like  a  map,  and  between  and  beyond  are  the  cul- 
tivated ranches  of  the  valley,  lovely  stretches  of 
woodland,  orchards,  vineyards,  gardens,  and  little 
villages.  Soon  we  turn  into  Hall's  Valley.  Here 
are  shady  nooks,  and  green  slopes,  and  trickling 
streams,  and  pictures  of  rural  loveliness  in  rare  vari- 
ety. We  pass  two  riders  who  are  gathering  in  a 
herd  of  cattle.  They  pay  no  attention  to  the  road, 
but  ride  up  and  down  hill-sides  and  through  streams 
and  woodlands  to  "round  up"  their  horses  or  other 
stock.     They  have  the  Mexican  saddle  on  powerful 


IN   THE   SANTA   CLARA    VALLEY  161 

horses,  the  coiled  lariat  hangs  on  its  horn,  and  with 
their  broad  sombreros,  and  pistols  in  belt,  they  are  a 
good  type  of  the  Californian  ranchman.  At  Smith 
Creek  Hotel,  situated  in  a  charming  little  valley, 
there  is  a  lunch  for  all  who  wish  refreshment,  and 
pure  spring  water.  This  is  seven  miles  from  the 
Observatory,  but  these  seven  miles  are  steeper,  and 
require  at  least  two  hours.  The  views  are  magnifi- 
cent and  constantly  changing,  and  embrace  the 
rugged  slopes  of  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains ;  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco,  whitened  with  many  a  sail;  and, 
in  the  far  distance,  the  glistening  Pacific.  In  the 
opposite  direction  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  spreads  its 
vast  expanse  to  the  foot-hills,  beyond  which  rise  the 
snow-crowned  summits  of  the  Sierras.  Nearly  all 
the  way  the  dome  of  the  Observatory  is  in  sight,  and 
if  the  sun  is  shining,  it  glistens  and  flashes  in  the 
clear  air,  at  the  turns  of  the  road,  deceiving  the 
traveller  by  its  apparent  nearness. 

Mount  Hamilton  is  twenty  miles  southeast  of 
San  Jose,  and  rises  4209  feet  above  the  sea-level. 
Professor  Whitney  says  that  from  this  spot  more  of 
the  earth's  surface  is  visible  than  from  any  known 
point  upon  the  globe;  and  the  translucent  air  and 
freedom  from  atmospheric  disturbance  attest  the 
assertion  that  there  are  twice  as  many  nights  favora- 
ble to  observation  as  are  known  elsewhere. 

James  Lick  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1796. 
He  was  an  eccentric  man,  but  his  gifts  to  the  state 
of  California  reached  several  millions  of  dollars,  and 
were  for  wise  and  beneficent  purposes.  He  executed 
a  trust  deed  for  the  erection  of  the  Observatory  in 


162  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

1874,  died  in  1876,  and  it  was  1880  before  work  was 
begun.  It  took  eight  years  to  level  the  summit, 
make  the  three  million  bricks  for  the  buildings,  con- 
struct the  telescope,  build  the  dome,  and  equip  the 
Observatory. 

The  buildings  stand  in  a  park  of  2581  acres,  and 
include  a  main  building  composed  of  two  domes 
connected  by  a  long  hall,  with  study-rooms,  instru- 
ment-rooms, clock-rooms,  work-rooms,  and  a  library. 
The  dome  for  the  great  telescope  is  at  the  south,  and 
rests  on  the  top  of  a  tower  built  into  the  solid  rock. 
The  telescope  cost  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Its  tube  is  sixty  feet  long,  and  weighs  four  tons.  It 
rests  upon  an  iron  column  thirty-seven  feet  high, 
and  is  so  perfectly  adjusted  that  it  can  be  turned  to 
any  point  in  the  heavens  with  ease  and  precision. 
The  body  of  James  Lick  is  buried  in  a  tomb  beneath 
the  instrument. 

The  smaller  dome  and  other  buildings  contain  the 
transit  instrument  and  meridian  circle,  spectroscopic 
and  seismic  apparatus,  clocks  and  chronographs  and 
meteorological  instruments,  and  suites  of  rooms  for 
the  observers  and  their  households. 

Saturday  evening  is  the  time  when  the  public  is 
permitted  to  look  through  the  great  tube,  and  there 
is  a  large  and  curious  crowd  on  such  occasions.  Our 
visit  was  on  a  different  day.  There  were  with  our 
party  about  a  dozen  other  visitors.  We  were  met  at 
the  door  by  the  old  janitor,  who  is  certainly  as  eccen- 
tric as  ever  Mr.  Lick  was,  and  who  has  been  twice 
sent  to  the  insane  asylum.  Knowledge  of' astron- 
omy, however,  has  not  addled  his  brains.     On  enter- 


IN  THE  SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY       163 

ing  the  building,  his  remark  made  to  the  party  in 
general  was,  "You  go  in  there'll'  wait."  The  party 
obeyed.  As  the  wait  was  tedious,  some  left  the 
reception-room  and  began  to  look  through  the  halls. 
"  What  are  ye  straggling  all  round  the  building  for?  " 
roared  the  old  man.  "Go  in,  I  tell  ye,  and  wait." 
He  was  promptly  obeyed.  In  due  time,  regulated 
by  some  occult  chronograph,  we  were  taken  through 
the  rooms  by  this  rude  guide.  "That's  Mr.  Lick," 
pointing  to  his  portrait;  "that's  the  road,  365  turns, 
and  cost  seventy-live  thousand  dollars,"  pointing  to 
some  plans;  "them's  meteors,  shootin'  stars,  ye 
know;  won't  be  such  anuther  batch-  o'  stars  till 
ninety-six,"  —  this  accompanied  with  a  shove  at  a 
series  of  photographs.  Then  he  led  us  to  the  stair- 
case leading  to  the  dome.  When  we  were  in,  he 
said:  "Now  sit  down  in  a  row,  and  I'll  tell  you  all 
about  it,  an'  then  you  can  ask  questions."  We  sat 
down  around  the  circle,  and  listened  to  a  string  of 
loose  statements  and  large  figures,  interspersed  with 
orders  to  "keep  still  till  I'm  through."  Then  an 
old  lady  timidly  asked:  "Was  Mr.  Lick  a  scientist; 
did  he  know  how  to  use  instruments  like  these?" 
"No,"  said  the  guide,  "he  didn't  know  anythin', 
not  a  bit  more'n  you  do." 

There  were  no  other  questions,  the  exhibition  was 
closed,  and  we  took  our  carriage  for  the  twenty-four 
mile  ride  down  the  hill.  But  we  had  seen  the  big- 
gest telescope  in  the  world  in  its  lofty  observatory, 
and  were  satisfied.  If  we  had  not  spent  many  nights 
long  years  ago  in  sweeping  the  heavens  Avith  a  small, 
but  useful  instrument,  and  gazed  tln-ough  other  tubes 


164  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

in  different  parts  of  the  world,  it  might  have  been 
worth  while  to  have  waited  in  line  on  a  Saturday 
night  to  look  through  the  Lick  telescope  for  two 
minutes,  and  then  drive  down  the  mountain  at  mid- 
night. More  than  a  hundred  people  do  this  every 
week  during  the  season,  and  are  satisfied.  The  re- 
marks on  the  hotel  circular  about  "courteous  guides  " 
at  the  Observatory  were  not  borne  out  by  our  expe- 
rience, which  was  amusing  rather  than  instructive. 

The  staff  of  astronomers  at  Lick  Observatory  is 
not  adequate  to  the  place.  It  comprises  Professor 
Holden,  the  superintendent,  Astronomer  and  Secre- 
tary Colton,  and  Professors  Barnard,  Schaeberle,  and 
Campbell,  with  a  few  assistants.  These  men  have 
done,  and  are  doing,  excellent  work,  but  are  alto- 
gether overweighted.  Professor  Holden,  besides  the 
duties  of  general  superintendence  and  those  con- 
nected with  the  charge  of  forwarding  the  result  of 
each  individual's  work,  is  librarian,  scientific  corre- 
spondent, and  editorial  supervisor  of  the  publications 
of  the  Astronomical  Society.  The  great  telescope 
is  used  two  nights  by  Professors  Holden  and  Colton 
for  photographic  purposes  ;  two  nights  it  is  employed 
for  spectroscopic  observations,  and  two  nights  it  is 
used  by  Barnard  and  Schaeberle  for  miscellaneous 
work.  The  meridian  circle  is  in  charge  of  the  latter, 
and  the  twelve-inch  and  six-and-one-half-inch  tele- 
scopes in  that  of  the  former.  Professor  Campbell 
attends  to  the  time  service. 

One  of  the  latest  enterprises  of  the  Observatory  was 
the  trip  of  Professor  J.  M.  Schaeberle  to  Chile,  to 
observe  the  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  on  April  16th  of 


IN'    THE    SANTA    CLARA    VALLFA"  165 

the  year  1893.  The  funds  for  the  undertaking  were 
supplied  by  Mrs.  Hearst,  of  San  Francisco.  To 
make  these  observations,  the  Professor  had  to  travel 
nearly  twelve  thousand  miles :  and  through  an  un- 
healthy country,  where  the  transportation  of  his  in- 
struments was  difficult,  and  the  chances  of  sue  -  - 
were  small.  But  all  obstacles  yielded  to  the  patience, 
perseverance,  and  skill  of  the  enthusiastic  astronomer, 
and  he  succeeded  in  making  no  less  than  fifty  nega- 
tives of  the  eclipse,  eight  of  which  were  larger  than 
had  ever  before  been  secured  of  any  eclipse.  Such  is 
the  enthusiasm  of  science. 

The  drive  home  from  Mount  Hamilton  was  shorter 
in  time  than  the  ascent,  but  fifty-six  miles,  even  over 
a  good  road,  is  a  lonsj  carriage-ride,  and  we  were 
ready  for  rest  and  refreshment  when  we  swung  into 
the  grounds  of  the  Hotel  Vendome  at  San  Jose. 

One  of  our  most  interesting  days  was  spent  at  the 
Leland  Stanford  Junior  University.  It  was  one  of 
the  most  perfect  of  California  days  in  the  month  of 
May  when  we  drove  over  the  Palo  Alto  stock  farm, 
a  tract  of  seventy-three  hundred  acres  which  belong> 
to  the  University.  The  noble  gateway  and  the  main 
quadrangle,  two  dormitories,  a  mechanical  depart- 
ment, and  a  number  of  houses  for  the  professor's  have 
been  thus  far  erected. 

The  plan  of  Mr.  Richardson  was  modelled  from 
the  cloisters  of  the  San  Antonio  Mission,  ami  is  not. 
so  far  as  completed,  effective  or  impressive.  The 
main  buildings  form  a  low  quadrangle,  inclosing  a 
court  586  feet  long  and  286"  feet  wide.  They  are 
built  of  a  dull  vellow  sandstone,  and  covered  with 


166  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

red  tiled  roofs.  On  the  inner  side,  the  buildings 
are  connected  by  a  fine  colonnade,  and  the  arrange- 
ment of  rooms  is  admirably  adapted  for  the  uses  of 
the  University.  Seen  from  a  distance,  the  building 
now  looks  like  a  vast  manufactory,  but  the  completed 
scheme  includes  an  outer  two-storied  quadrangle 
with  cloisters  on  the  outside,  a  memorial  arch,  and 
a  chapel.  The  University  was  founded  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Leland  Stanford,  in  memory  of  their  only  son, 
who  died  in  1884.  They  endowed  it  with  property 
worth  from  twenty  to  thirty  millions  of  dollars. 
Three  immense  estates  were  conveyed  to  a  Board  of 
Trustees,  the  principal  to  remain  intact  and  the 
revenues  to  be  used  for  the  establishment  and  main- 
tenance of  the  University.  These  are  the  Palo  Alto 
farm,  already  mentioned,  which  was  the  homestead 
of  the  Stanford  family,  and  the  largest  horse-breed- 
ing farm  in  the  world;  Vina  ranch  in  Tehama 
County,  comprising  fifty  thousand  acres,  of  which 
four  thousand  are  planted  with  vines,  making  it  the 
largest  known  vineyard;  and  Gridley  ranch  in  Butte 
County,  comprising  twenty  thousand  acres  of  the 
best  wheat  land  in  California. 

The  idea  of  the  University,  in  the  words  of  its 
founders,  "came  directly  and  largely  from  our  son  and 
only  child,  Leland,  and  in  the  belief  that  had  he  been 
spared  to  advise  as  to  the  disposition  of  our  estate,  he 
would  have  desired  the  devotion  of  a  large  portion 
thereof  to  this  purpose,  we  will  that  for  all  time  to 
come  the  institution  hereby  founded  shall  bear  his 
name,  and  shall  be  known  as  the  Leland  Stanford 
Junior  University." 


IN   THE    SANTA   CLARA   VALLEY  167 

The  object  of  the  University,  as  stated  in  its  char- 
ter, is  "  to  qualify  students  for  personal  success  and 
direct  usefulness  in  life;'"  and  its  purposes,  "to  pro- 
mote the  public  welfare  by  exercising  an  influence 
in  behalf  of  humanity  and  civilization,  teaching  the 
blessings  of  liberty  regulated  by  law,  and  inculcat- 
ing love  and  reverence  for  the  great  principles  of 
government  as  derived  from  the  inalienable  rights  of 
man  to  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 

The  nature,  object,  and  purpose  of  the  University, 
as  described  in  the  deed  of  trust  are,  in  brief:  "A 
university,  with  such  seminaries  of  learning  as  shall 
make  it  of  the  highest  grade,  where  mechanical 
training  shall  be  given,  and  where  agriculture  in  all 
its  branches,  together  with  the  studies  and  exercises 
directed  to  the  cultivation  and  enlargement  of  the 
mind  shall  be  taught.  From  the  kindergarten  to  the 
highest  schools  there  will  be  no  important  branch  of 
art,  science,  or  mechanics  that  will  not  be  taught 
here,  and  to  these  advantages  male  and  female  stu- 
dents will  be  equally  entitled."  The  school  is  non- 
sectarian  ;  the  articles  of  endowment  direct  only  that 
the  existence  of  an  all-wise  God,  obedience  to  His 
laws,  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  shall  be 
taught. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  first  building  was  laid  on 
May  14,  1887,  and  on  October  1,  1891,  the  Leland 
Stanford  Junior  University  was  formally  opened. 
Dr.  David  S.  Jordan  was  called  from  the  Indiana  State 
University  to  be  president.  In  his  address  on  that 
occasion  Senator  Stanford  said:  — 

"  I  speak  for  Mrs.  Stanford,  as  well  as  for  myself, 


168  BEYOND  THE   ROCKIES 

for  she  has  been  my  active  and  sympathetic  coadjutor 
and  is  cograntor  with  me  in  the  endowment  and 
establishment  of  this  university.  In  its  behalf  her 
prayers  have  gone  forth  that  it  may  be  a  benefactor 
to  humanity  and  receive  the  blessing  of  the  Heavenly 
Father.  For  Mrs.  Stanford  and  myself  this  cere- 
mony marks  an  epoch  in  our  lives,  for  we  see  in  part 
the  realization  of  the  hopes  and  efforts  of  years ;  for 
you,  faculty  and  students,  the  work  begins  now,  and 
it  is  to  commemorate  this  commencement  of  your 
labors  that  we  are  here  assembled." 

There  were  present  at  the  opening  a  staff  of  fifty 
instructors  and  six  hundred  students,  about  one- 
third  of  whom  were  women.  In  1893  there  were 
eighty-two  instructors  and  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  students,  representing  nearly  every  state  in  the 
Union  and  every  civilized  country. 

Since  our  visit,  Mr.  Stanford  has  died,  but  the 
University  will  go  on  under  the  able  management  of 
President  Jordan,  and  with  the  fostering  care  of 
Mrs.  Stanford,  whose  chief  interest  in  life  centres 
here. 

We  had  letters  of  introduction  to  the  president, 
and  he  courteously  conducted  us  through  a  number 
of  the  class-rooms,  including  the  chapel,  gave  us  all 
needful  information,  and  then  put  us  in  the  charge 
of  a  polite  assistant,  who  spent  the  morning  in  show- 
ing us  the  manifold  objects  of  interest  in- this  new 
and  flourishing  institution. 

I  am  bound  to  say  that,  great  as  was  the  interest 
of  the  party  in  the  educational  department  of 
the    University,   its   chapel    and    lecture-rooms,    the 


IN   THE   SANTA   CLARA    VALLEY  169 

art  building  and  dormitories,  a  still  greater  inter- 
est was  developed  by  both  ladies  and  gentlemen 
when  we  drove  to  the  Palo  Alto  stables  and  pad- 
docks. There  are  eleven  hundred  trotting  horses 
and  five  hundred  running  horses  here.  The  famous 
"Electioneer,"  "Electricity,"  "Arion,"  and  "Ad- 
vertiser," were  taken  out  of  their  rooms,  and  un- 
covered for  our  inspection.  Each  horse  has  a  groom, 
and  each  groom  is  as  careful  of  his  animal  as  a 
faithful  nurse  could  be  of  a  child.  The  horses  are 
kept  in  long  rows  of  rooms,  which  are  carefully  padded 
and  kept  perfectly  clean.  A  variety  of  blankets  and 
clothes  of  different  thickness,  forming  a  complete 
wardrobe,  hang  on  the  walls.  Every  detail  of  food 
and  exercise  and  temperature  is  carefully  attended 
to,  and  nothing  omitted  which  would  tend  to  pro- 
duce the  most  perfect  conditions  of  health  and 
growth. 

From  this  view  of  some  of  the  finest  results  of 
training,  we  were  taken  into  the  training  school  for 
trotting  horses.  Here  we  saw  the  method  of  teach- 
ing which  produces  these  results.  A  fine-bred  colt 
of  six  months  was  let  into  a  ring  b^y  the  groom. 
The  ring  is  an  oval  inclosure,  roofed  and  lighted 
from  above,  with  a  floor  of  soft  earth.  Its  outer 
portion  is  railed  off  with  a  low,  firm  rail,  forming 
the  track  where  the  horse  is  to  trot.  The  trainer 
stands  in  the  centre  of  the  ring  with  a  long  whip, 
and  such  visitors  as  are  allowed  stand  quietly  with 
him.  The  colt  is  first  taught  to  walk  around  the 
ring,  then  to  move  faster  and  faster,  always  on  a 
trot.     The  instant  he  breaks  from  a  trot  he  is  stopped 


170  15EYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

by  the  trainer's  voice  or  whip,  both  of  which  are  used 
constantly.  The  animal  is  not  whipped,  but  the 
whip  is  his  guide  ;  now  it  cracks  behind  to  stimulate 
his  speed,  now  in  front  to  bid  him  turn,  now  in  the 
ring  centre  to  tell  him  to  stop.  The  intelligence  of 
this  horse,  not  yet  six  months  old,  was  wonderful, 
but  when  he  went  out,  and  one  after  another  of  the 
yearlings  came  in,  the  exhibition  became  one  of  the 
most  interesting  developments  of  animal  culture 
that  I  ever  witnessed.  The  horses  seemed  to  know 
every  word  and  motion  of  their  trainer,  and  the  pre- 
cision of  their  motion,  their  beautiful  carriage,  and 
almost  intellectual  perception  of  their  own  develop- 
ment and  education,  made  us  ask  involuntarily: 
"  Can  the  professors  of  the  University  get  as  good 
work  from  their  pupils  as  these  trainers  get  from 
their  colts  ?  " 

Afterwards  we  saw  some  of  the  famous  racers  spin 
around  the  course  where  they  are  exercised,  and 
marked  the  care  with  which  they  were  rubbed  and 
washed  and  clothed  when  they  came  in  from  trotting. 

When  the  Rev.  Dr.  Iremeus  Prime  was  once  at- 
tending a  General  Assembly  in  Kentucky,  a  good 
Presbyterian,  who  was  also  the  owner  of  a  stock  farm, 
took  him  over  to  his  place.  Now  Dr.  Prime,  like 
some  other  ministers,  was  fond  of  a  good  horse,  and 
knew  something  of  the  different  breeds  of  fine  horses. 
As  he  discoursed  of  the  descendants  of  "  Lexington  " 
and  "  Blackhawk  "  and  "  Eclipse  "  and  of  Morgan 
mares,  the  elder  became  enthusiastic,  and  clapping 
him  on  the  shoulder,  said:  "Mr.  Prime,  a  man  that 
knows  as  much  about  horses  as  you  do,  can  have  any 


IN   THE   SANTA   CLARA   VALLEY  171 

church  he  wants  in  Kentucky."  It  was  a  new  quali- 
fication for  the  Presbyterian  pastorate,  but  there  was 
more  in  the  compliment  than  a  tribute  to  equine 
knowledge.  The  man  who  thus  interested  the  Ken- 
tucky farmer  on  his  own  topic,  had  the  versatility 
and  friendliness  and  true  human  sympathy  that  made 
him  always  and  everywhere  at  home,  and  in  many 
places  his  name  is  still  a  household  word. 

From  the  horses  we  went  to  the  mausoleum  built 
for  the  resting  place  of  the  beloved  son  whose  monu- 
ment is  the  University.  It  is  a  beautiful  little  tem- 
ple in  a  garden  of  plants  and  flowers.  There  Senator 
Stanford  has  been  buried,  and  it  will  be  also  the 
ultimate  resting  place  of  the  bereaved  widow  and 
mother. 

From  these  gardens  we  drove  through  vineyards 
and  orchards,  and  afterwards  to  Menlo  Park,  a 
favorite  residence  of  wealthy  San  Franciscans.  The 
evening  found  us,  after  our  long  journeyings  in  Cali- 
fornia, at  the  Palace  Hotel  in  San  Francisco. 


XXV 

SAN   FRANCISCO 

DANA'S    PROPHECY CALIFORNIA     OPTIMISM THE     CHI- 
NESE   PROBLEM A    CURIOUS    AND    COMPOSITE    CITY 

BEAUTIFUL    SUBURBS A    VISIT    TO   CHINATOWN THE 

THEATRE    AND    OPIUM     DENS CHINESE    MEN,    WOMEN, 

AND     CHILDREN SAUSALITO,    ROSS    VALLEY,   AND    SAN 

RAFAEL A      SUDDEN      SQUALL THE      PRESBYTERIAN 

SEMINARY FRIENDS  AND  FESTIVITIES SACRAMENTO 

Moke  than  fifty  years  ago,  Mr.  Richard  H.  Dana, 
Jr.,  the  Harvard  student  who  made  that  memorable 
voyage  to  the  California  coast  in  the  brig  Pilgrim, 
which  resulted  in  "Two  Years  before  the  Mast," 
wrote  thus  about  San  Francisco  and  its  harbor :  — 

"  We  sailed  down  this  magnificent  bay  with  a  light 
wind,  the  tide,  which  was  running  out,  carrying  us 
at  the  rate  of  four  or  five  knots.  We  passed  directly 
under  the  high  cliff  on  which  the  Presidio  is  built, 
and  stood  into  the  middle  of  the  bay,  from  whence 
we  could  see  small  bays,  making  up  into  the  inte- 
rior, on  every  side,  large  and  beautifully  wooded 
islands,  and  the  mouths  of  several  small  rivers.  If 
California  ever  becomes  a  prosperous  country,  this 
bay  will  be  the  centre  of  its  prosperity.  The  abun- 
dance of  wood  and  water,  the  extreme  fertility  of  its 

172 


SAN    FRANCISCO  173 

shores,  the  excellence  of  its  climate,  which  is  as  near 
to  being  perfect  as  any  in  the  world,  and  its  facili- 
ties for  navigation,  affording  the  best  anchoring 
grounds  in  the  whole  western  coast  of  America,  all 
fit  it  for  a  place  of  great  importance;  and,  indeed,  it 
has  attracted  much  attention,  for  the  settlement  of 
'Yerba  Buena, '  where  we  lay  at  anchor,  made  chiefly 
by  Americans  and  English,  and  which  bids  fair  to 
become  the  most  important  trading  place  on  the 
coast,  at  this  time  began  to  supply  traders,  Russian 
ships,  and  whalers,  with  their  stores  of  wheat  and 
frijoles." 

Mr.  Dana's  prediction  has  been  more  than  fulfilled. 
The  sand-hills  where  he  gathered  wood  for  the  galley 
fire  are  covered  with  costly  dwellings;  the  shores 
where  he  beached  his  skiff  are  lined  with  solid  ware- 
houses, and  the  harbor  in  which  the  Pilgrim  and  an 
old  Russian  vessel  were  the  largest  craft,  is  now 
filled  with  hundreds  of  full-rigged  ships,  ocean- 
steamers,  and  vessels  of  all  the  maritime  nations  of 
the  earth  who  contribute  of  their  wealth  to  increase 
the  resources  of  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and 
prosperous  commercial  cities  in  the  world. 

A  writer  for  a  prize  offered  by  a  Boston  paper,  thus 
eloquently  discourses  upon  some  elements  in  the 
greatness  of  this  growing  city.  It  has  the  true 
California  ring:  — 

"San  Francisco  is  queen  of  the  Pacific  by  the 
divine  right  of  natural  supremac}\  She  is  a  city  of 
invincible  necessity.  The  gold  in  the  rocks  and  in 
the  rivers  laid  her  foundation.  The  silver  stream 
from  the  mines  of  Nevada  fostered  her  youth.     Then 


174  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

the  rains  turned  their  drops  to  grains  of  golden 
wheat  for  her  prosperity.  Later  the  sunshine  painted 
its  most  brilliant  hues  on  the  fruit  and  imprisoned 
itself  in  the  vine  for  her  well  doing,  while  the  soil 
by  mystic  chemistry  of  air  and  light  and  water  poured 
into  her  lap  with  surpassing  abundance  the  products 
of  every  temperate  and  semi-tropical  clime.  Nearly 
all  the  good  fairies  presided  at  her  birth,  and  only 
the  one  in  charge  of  the  climate  was  chary  in  gifts. 

"  The  Golden  Gate  made  the  sand-hills  of  the  bay 
the  predestined  site  of  a  great  city.  A  cleft  in  the 
rocks  admits  the  boundless  waters  of  the  Pacific  into 
a  sheltered  basin  forty  miles  in  length  by  six  to  fif- 
teen in  width.  There  is  not  another  harbor  of  any 
size,  excepting  San  Diego,  on  the  entire  coast  line 
from  Valparaiso  to  Alaska.  Two  rivers  tap  the  great 
San  Joaquin  Valley  and  flow  into  the  bay,  bringing 
to  the  city's  doors  the  wealth  of  the  interior.  The 
position  of  San  Francisco  enables  her  to  take  tribute 
from  sea  and  land.  She  commands  the  trade  of  the 
Orient  and  the  South  Seas,  of  Alaska  to  the  north, 
and  Central  America  to  the  south,  with  all  the  lands 
between.  Inland  is  the  garden  of  the  earth.  She 
sits  at  the  portal  and  takes  toll  of  the  commerce  that 
enters  seaward,  and  of  the  wine,  the  olive,  the  orange, 
the  raisin,  and  other  fresh  and  dried  fruits ;  of  the 
grain,  of  the  wool,  and  the  precious  metals  that  come 
from  the  vast  territory  of  which  she  is  the  commer- 
cial sovereign.  She  is  the  distributing  and  shipping 
point  for  a  region  more  than  twelve  hundred  miles 
in  extent,  north  and  south,  east  and  Avest.  As  yet 
it  is    comparatively  unoccupied.     Who  can  predict 


SAN    FRANCISCO  175 

the  magnitude  of  San  Francisco,  when  every  fertile 
acre  of  this  magnificent  domain  is  a  sea  of  grain  and 
a  forest  of  bloom?" 

There  are .  prophets  who  do  not  take  this  rose- 
colored  view  of  the  future  of  the  city  of  the  "  Golden 
Gate. "  They  say  that  the  march  of  empire  is  towards 
Oregon  and  Washington,  that  no  agricultural  state 
can  ever  compete  with  states  which  have  great  min- 
ing and  lumbering  and  manufacturing  interests; 
that  San  Francisco  has  ceased  to  be  the  distributing 
centre  for  the  trade  of  the  Pacific  coast,  and  will  in 
consequence  cease  to  prosper.  Such  pessimists  argue 
that  a  city  built  on  so  many  hills,  with  such  a  costly 
and  disagreeable  method  of  transit  as  the  cable-car, 
must  yield  in  comparison  with  cities  of  easier  grades, 
where  wheeled  vehicles  can  be  freely  used.  It  may 
be  needful  for  San  Francisco  to  establish  manufacto- 
ries, and  to  level  its  hills,  and  rebuild  upon  a  better 
plan,  but  if  these  changes  become  necessities  in 
order  that  it  may  hold  its  place  in  a  rivalry  with 
other  towns,  they  will  be  made. 

The  large  Chinese  population,  which  is  a  fragment 
of  Asia,  wedged  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  is  also 
viewed  by  many  as  a  serious  menace  to  the  prosperity 
of  San  Francisco.  A  separate  and  isolated  nation- 
ality is  here  maintained,  which  nevertheless  draws 
its  life  and  support  from  the  American  citizens. 
American  manufacturers  and  tradesmen  cannot  com- 
pete with  the  Chinese,  for  the  Chinese  work  twelve 
and  eighteen  hours  a  day,  and  live  upon  the  most 
meagre  fare.  A  large  proportion  of  the  Chinese  use 
opium,  and  they  herd  together  in  worse  dens  than 


176  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

can  be  found  in  any  of  the  degraded  quarters  of  our 
cities.  They  are  industrious,  peaceful,  and  most 
useful  as  servants,  porters,  and  in  many  subordinate 
positions.  They  quarrel  and  gamble,  and  foster 
gross  immorality  among  themselves,  but  their  inter- 
course with  other  people  is  mostly  that  of  business. 
Missions  among  them  have  little  effect  upon  the 
majority  of  the  people,  though  those  individuals 
among  them  who  become  Christians  are  pious,  benev- 
olent, and  sincere.  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  and 
other  missions  have  been  useful  in  rescuing  Chinese 
girls  from  infamy,  in  establishing  some  small  Chinese 
churches  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  in  providing 
helpers  and  laborers  for  the  fields  in  China.  The 
self-denial  and  patience  of  those  faithful  and  veteran 
missionaries  who  have  labored  among  the  Chinese 
deserve  the  highest  praise,  but  the  mass  of  the  Chi- 
nese remains  comparatively  unaffected. 

No  one  visits  San  Francisco  as  a  tourist  without 
seeing  Chinatown.  It  is  a  curious  thing  to  see  a 
foreign  city  within  an  American  city.  But  here  is 
a  town  of  twenty  thousand  Chinese  inhabitants  in 
the  very  centre  of  San  Francisco.  Whole  blocks  are 
occupied  by  these  Asiatics,  who  live  and  move  and 
have  their  being  according  to  their  own  heathen,  and 
to  us  disgusting,  customs.  They  literally  swarm  in 
the  precincts  which  they  occupy.  They  crowd  in 
rooms  and  cellars  and  coops  along  the  alleys,  and  we 
saw  a  roost  under  a  wooden  awning  where  two  China- 
men manage  to  sleep  and  live,  a  place  hardly  large 
enough  for  a  small  flock  of  pigeons.  Every  sort  of 
business  and  trade  is  carried  on  in  these  confined 


SAN   FRANCISCO  177 

and  contracted  quarters.  Of  course  the  shops  which 
are  designed  to  attract  Americans  and  secure  their 
custom  are  roomy,  well-lighted,  and  tastefully 
arranged,  but  when  we  come  to  the  Chinese  stores 
for  Chinese  customers,  we  find  narrowness,  crowd- 
ing, dirt,  and  everything  that  is  offensive  to  our 
civilization.  Scrolls  of  red  paper  covered  with  Chi- 
nese characters,  gaudy  lanterns,  and  outlandish  signs 
cover  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  shops;  eating- 
houses  that  display  hideous  and  disgusting  viands, 
gambling  dens  and  vile  resorts  are  huddled  together 
in  dreadful  confusion.  In  the  evening  all  the  Chi- 
nese male  population  seems  to  be  divided  between 
the  barbers  and  their  victims.  The  Chinese  are 
shaved  from  crown  to  chin,  including  eyebrows  and 
ears,  and  when  shaved  they  go  to  the  theatre  or  to 
the  opium  debauch.  We  went  to  both  places.  The 
theatre  was  crowded,  and  we  were  placed  upon  the 
stage  near  the  performers,  to  whom  our  presence 
seemed  of  no  sort  of  importance.  One  man  beat  a 
huge  gong,  which  combined  with  wind  instruments 
to  deafen  us.  The  actors  talked  in  high,  squeaky 
voices,  with  many  gestures  and  attitudes.  The  the- 
atre was  packed  with  a  crowd  of  Chinamen  intent 
upon  the  play.  Not  a  woman  was  to  be  seen,  and 
the  actors  taking  women's  parts  were  all  men.  The 
plays  go  on  evening  after  evening  for  weeks  and 
months,  and  are  made  up  of  life  dramas,  including 
murders  and  combats  and  trials,  and  manifold  epi- 
sodes of  Chinese  life.  Under  the  stage,  and  in  the 
cellar  of  the  building,  are  the  rooms  where  the  actors 
live,  closely  crowded  together   in    ill-smelling  and 


178  T5EY0ND    THE    ROCKIES 

dirty  quarters.  With  a  guide  who  knew  the  labyrin- 
thine mazes  of  Chinatown,  we  visited  the  opium  dens, 
where  wrecks  of  humanity  lay  on  shelves  of  pine 
wood  smoking  the  nauseous  drug.  Some  of  the  men 
were  lean  and  yelloAv  skeletons,  who  seemed  to  have 
hardly  strength  enough  to  fill  their  little  brass  pipes 
with  opium  pills,  and  all  the  faces  were  repulsive 
and  painful  to  look  upon.  We  were  taken  to  see 
one  horrid  old  crone  who  was  said  to  have  occupied 
the  same  den  for  twenty  years  or  more ;  she  was 
blind  and  deformed  and  covered  with  rags,  and  in 
the  midst  of  vermin  and  vileness.  Mrs.  Mackay, 
the  wife  of  the  many  times  millionaire,  came  after 
us,  and  left  twenty  dollars  in  gold  for  this  wretched 
being,  who  is  said  to  be  a  miser  and  have  a  miser's 
wealth  stowed  away  in  her  miserable  den. 

After  such  dreadful  scenes,  it  was  a  relief  to  go  to 
the  joss-house  and  see  the  idols  to  whom  the  Chinese 
burn  incense,  and  in  an  elegant  and  spacious  apart- 
ment to  be  served  with  delicious  tea  and  a  variety  of 
candies  and  sweetmeats.  In  a  back  room  some  Chi- 
nese were  gambling,  and  we  watched  the  game  for 
a  few  minutes.  There  were  two  women  in  this  room 
and  they  were  deeply  interested  in  the  game,  laugh- 
ing and  clapping  when  the  cards  favored  them,  and 
showing  abundant  signs  of  displeasure  when  the  luck 
went  against  them.  The  game  was  being  played 
around  a  table  where  a  feast  had  been  in  progress, 
and  was  evidently  part  of  a  festivit}'.  Women  are 
not  often  seen  in  the  streets,  but  there  are  plenty  of 
fat,  short-legged,  moon-faced  children  all  over  China- 
town.    They  are  dressed  in  purple  and  yellow  and 


SAN    FRANCISCO  179 

green  garments,  their  faces  contrasting  strangely 
with  the  wrinkled  and  drawn  visages  of  their  elders. 

Chinese  goods  are  very  attractive  to  Eastern  pil- 
grims, and  we  invested  much  money  in  crapes  and 
silks  and  thin  porcelain  and  bronzes,  and  were  not 
sorry  to  have  done  so  when  we  came  to  give  memen- 
tos of  our  journey  to  our  dear  five  hundred  friends 
at  home. 

To  a  visitor,  San  Francisco  seems  curious  and 
composite.  All  races  and  tongues  mingle  here. 
Men  and  boys  seem  to  be  in  a  large  majority,  and 
the  tone  of  public  life  and  manners  is  roughened  by 
the  predominance  of  the  male  element.  The  great 
number  of  wooden  dwellings,  even  the  costliest  and 
largest  buildings  being  of  this  material,  excites  sur- 
prise. The  numerous  cable-cars,  sliding  and  climb- 
ing in  every  direction  with  great  rapidity  and  with 
incessant  ringing  of  gongs,  over  the  many  hills  of 
the  city,  give  an  air  of  noise  and  bustle  to  every  part 
of  the  town.  The  climate  is  disagreeable.  The 
mornings  are  usually  pleasant,  except  in  July  and 
August,  when  fogs  prevail,  but  each  afternoon  a 
high  wind  blows,  whirling  the  sand  and  dust  about 
the  streets,  and  this  wind  is  often  accompanied  with 
a  chilly  temperature  which  demands  a  lire  in  order 
to  be  comfortable.  But  in  spite  of  this  drawback  to 
San  Francisco  as  a  residence,  it  is  said  to  be  one  of 
the  most  healthy  and  highly  valued  homes  upon  the 
Pacific  coast. 

Some  of  our  friends  live  in  the  suburb  of  Sausa- 
lito,  across  the  water  from  San  Francisco.  It  is  a 
charming  place,  warmer  than  the  city  by  several  de- 


180  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

grees,  and  sheltered  from  the  winds  and  fogs  which 
come  driving  in  through  the  Golden  Gate  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  We  had  a  specimen  of  these  winds 
on  our  excursion.  All  the  vessels  at  anchor  were 
blown  from  their  moorings,  the  yachts  were  unable 
to  ride  out  the  sudden  gale,  and  small  boats  had  to 
make  a  speedy  landing  or  be  overturned  in  the  bay. 
On  the  heights  of  Sausalito  Ave  watched  the  tempest, 
and  were  glad  to  be  in  safety  and  comfort  with  pleas- 
ant company  during  such  a  war  of  the  elements. 
High  winds  are  the  bane  of  San  Francisco,  and  in 
August  come  also  disagreeable  fogs,  that  make  rheu- 
matic people  ache,  and  give  the  blues  to  timid  and 
anxious  souls.  On  the  other  side  of  San  Francisco 
lies  Berkeley,  where  the  University  and  the  Deaf 
and  Dumb  Institution  are  placed  in  the  midst  of 
charming  scenery  and  a  lavish  wealth  of  flowers  and 
verdure.  It  was  a  pleasant  thing  to  see  on  each  boat 
that  came  to  the  city  from  the  suburbs,  bunches  of 
flowers  in  every  hand,  and  often  baskets  of  flowers 
which  were  being  brought  over  as  presents  to  city 
friends. 

The  Palace  Hotel  was  our  home  while  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. It  is  a  good  enough  hotel  for  any  city  in  the 
world,  and  its  rooms  are  comfortable  and  convenient 
beyond  anything  in  this  country  outside  of  New  York. 

One  afternoon  we  took  the  train  for  Sacramento, 
and  in  the  morning  saw  there  the  State  House,  and 
all  that  was  worth  the  traveller's  time  and  patience. 
It  is  not  an  attractive  place,  even  though  it  is  the 
seat  of  government,  and  we  were  glad  to  bid  it  fare- 
well and  steam  away  into  the  fastness  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  upon  the  homeward  track. 


XXVI 
ACROSS   THE   SIERRA    TO  SALT    LAKE 

SACRAMENTO    TO    CAPE  HORN SILVER    MIXING AMONG 

THE     SNOW-SHEDS DESERTS      AND      INDIANS GREAT 

SALT    LAKE THE    SACRED     INCLOSURE TABERNACLE 

AND     TEMPLE THE     LION    HOUSE     AND    THE    BEEHIVE 

A      THRIVING     CITY A      RESUME     OF     MORMON    HIS- 
TORY  THE    CREED  AND   GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH 

FORT    DOUGLAS 

We  left  Sacramento,  with  its  costly  Capitol,  beau- 
tiful parks,  and  Crocker  Art  Gallery,  about  noon,  and 
soon  began  to  climb  the  Sierra  Nevada.  This  name 
means  "Snowy  Range/'  The  range  lies  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  runs  from  Oregon,  where  it 
is  called  "Cascade  Mountains,"  to  the  southern  part 
of  California.  It  is  the  western  chain  of  the  Cordil- 
leras, and  contains  some  of  the  highest  peaks  on  the 
continent,  such  as  Mounts  Whitney,  Shasta,  and 
Corcoran,  each  of  which  is  over  fourteen  thousand 
feet  high.  The  peaks  which  inclose  the  Yosemite 
Valley  are  a  part  of  this  range,  and  its  average  eleva- 
tion is  from  eight  to  ten  thousand  feet  above  sea- 
level.  The  sceneiy  is  in  the  highest  degree  pictur- 
esque, becoming  grander  as  the  road  ascends.  Cape 
Horn  was  reached  early  in  the  afternoon.     It  is  a 

181 


182  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

mountain  promontory  where  the  railroad  doubles  on 
itself,  passing  around  on  a  little  shelf  two  thousand 
feet  above  the  American  River,  which  winds  its 
silver  thread  in  the  deep  valley.  Far  off  to  the  right 
is  a  ravine  inclosed  in  mountain  walls.  In  neigh- 
boring gulches  and  canons,  we  saw  many  traces  of 
mining  operations;  whole  hills  had  been  washed 
away  by  the  powerful  hydraulic  jets  which  had  been 
directed  against  them.  Work  was  still  going  on  in 
a  few  places,  though  the  profit  of  silver  mining  was 
steadily  declining. 

With  two,  and  sometimes  three  engines,  our  heavy 
train,  now  divided  into  two  sections,  climbed  up 
the  giant  wall  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  We  passed 
through  the  magnificent  scenery  of  Shady  Run,  Blue 
Canon,  and  Giant  and  Emigrant  Gaps.  In  running 
one  hundred  and  seven  miles,  we  had  climbed  nearly 
seven  thousand  feet,  sometimes  over  very  steep 
grades.  Before  we  reached  the  summit,  snow-sheds 
began  to  appear,  and  soon  became  practically  contin- 
uous. It  was  the  month  of  May,  and  the  mountains 
were  still  covered  deep  with  snow.  We  rode  through 
forty  miles  of  these  wooden  tunnels,  from  whose 
windows  we  could  now  and  then  catch  glances  of 
wild  wastes  of  snow-covered  mountains,  and  at  other 
times  of  forests  of  pine  and  fir  trees.  Without  these 
sheds  it  would  be  impossible  to  operate  the  road  in 
winter.  The}'  are  built  in  the  most  thorough  man- 
ner, often  upon  solid  foundations  of  masonry,  and 
are  separated  by  iron  plates  into  sections,  to  guard 
against  the  spread  of  fire.  There  are  automatic  elec- 
tric fire  alarms  in  one  of  the  longest  sheds,  and  an 


ACROSS   THE    SIERRA   TO    SALT   LAKE  183 

engine  with  a  tank  close  at  hand  is  kept  ready  to 
flood  any  section  that  should  catch  fire.  The  sheds 
are  patrolled  and  guarded  in  a  careful  manner. 
Such  attention  is  due  not  only  to  the  passenger  and 
freight  traffic  which  the  road  conducts,  but  to  the 
value  of  the  sheds,  which  averages  from  eight  to 
twelve  thousand  dollars  per  mile.  Several  miles, 
where  bridges  and  precipices  made  the  construction 
difficult,  cost  as  much  as  thirty  thousand  dollars  per 
mile.  The  lover  of  picturesque  sceneiy  is  grievously 
disappointed  as  the  train  plunges  into  these  utilita- 
rian devices,  but  railroads  are  primarily  for  trans- 
portation, and  scenery  holds  a  second  place  with 
civil  engineers  and  boards  of  directors.  If  we  had 
been  crossing  the  Sierra  Nevada  in  a  winter  snow- 
storm, I  fancy  there  would  have  been  no  words  of 
complaint  about  the  long  snow-sheds. 

From  Summit,  the  railway  slides  down  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  mountains,  following  the  course  of  the 
rapid  Truckee  River,  until  it  reaches  the  great  in- 
closed continental  plateau,  an  extensive  level  at  a 
height  of.  four  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  We 
were  now  in  the  great  and  thinly  settled  state  of 
Nevada,  a  region  of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
square  miles,  with  a  few  moderate-sized  towns  and 
many  mining  camps.  It  is  the  silver  mining  state, 
and  is  full  of  bold  and  rugged  mountains  and  wide 
stretches  of  desert  plain.  The  Southern  Pacific 
route  from  San  Francisco  to  Ogden  traverses  four 
hundred  and  fifty-six  miles  of  this  state,  winding 
among  its  snow-capped  mountains  and  bringing  the 
benefits  of  civilization  into  its  separated  towns.      At 


184  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

some  of  the  stations  we  saw  Indians  of  the  Shoshone 
and  Piute  tribes,  and  at  one  place  an  Indian  squaw 
drove  a  brisk  trade  while  the  train  waited,  by  exhib- 
iting a  pappoose  to  the  ladies  at  ten  cents  a  sight. 
All  day  we  journeyed  through  an  uninteresting  and 
mostly  desert  country,  a  lonely  and  uninhabitable 
waste.  I  had  never  realized  that  so  much  of  the 
United  States  was  as  truly  a  desert  as  the  Sahara. 
It  is  said  that  only  water  is  needed  to  make  it  all 
arable,  but  this  is  a  desperate  need,  for  only  the 
snows  of  winter  lodged  in  the  far-off  mountains  can 
furnish  irrigation  to  these  deserts.  We  talked  of  the 
sufferings  of  the  pioneers  who  crossed  these  wastes 
to  settle  the  Pacific  Slopes,  and  of  later  emigrants 
who  came  for  gold  and  silver  before  the  railways  had 
made  the  transit  swift  and  easy,  and  most  of  us  were 
glad  that  we  lived  in  these  modern  days.  It  is  as- 
tonishing how  luxury  and  ease  destroy  even  the 
wholesome  taste  for  romantic  experience  and  adven- 
ture. The  kid-gloved  and  perfumed  aristocrat  whose 
every  want  is  provided  for,  in  an  "all  around  the 
world"  trip,  may  have  a  "good  time"  in  his  sense 
of  the  word,  but  he  misses  many  things  that  give 
variety  and  zest  to  travel  and  make  its  reminiscences 
a  pleasure  and  delight. 

Towards  afternoon  we  came  to  Kelton,  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Utah,  and  soon  began  to  see  the  shores  of 
the  Great  Salt  Lake.  This  remarkable  inland  sea 
occupies  about  three  thousand  square  miles,  being 
ninety-three  miles  long  and  forty-three  miles  wide. 
It  is  at  an  elevation  of  more  than  four  thousand  feet 
above  the  ocean,  is  sixty  feet  deep,  and  lias  a  number 


ACROSS   THE   SIERRA   TO    SALT    LAKE  185 

of  small  islands  and  two  of  considerable  size.  The 
water  is  very  dense,  being  more  than  ten  per  cent 
heavier  than  the  ocean,  and  only  surpassed  by  the 
Dead  Sea  of  Palestine  in  density.  Bathers  can  float 
with  ease  in  its  waters,  but  they  are  acrid  and  bitter 
to  the  taste. 

The  sight  of  this  expanse  of  water  was  an  immense 
relief  after  the  dreariness  of  the  desert.  The  moun- 
tains surrounding  the  basin  are  picturesque  in  form 
and  curious  in  coloring.  Here  and  there  are  bath- 
ing places,  but  the  shores  are  generally  barren  and 
uninhabited,  except  by  station  masters  or  employed 
of  the  railroad.  We  saw  the  Promontory  Point, 
where  the  Union  Pacific  and  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
ways joined  their  iron  bands,  and  where  the  last 
spike  of  the  great  railroad  enterprise  was  driven,  and 
then  we  sped  away,  with  the  noble  Wahsatch  range 
of  mountains  confronting  us  like  a  wall,  towards 
Ogden,  our  point  of  detour  in  the  visit  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  which  is  forty  miles  to  the  south. 

Most  of  the  way  the  mountains  were  on  one  side 
and  the  lake  upon  the  other,  and  the  scenery  was 
fine.  All  the  Mormon  country  in  the  springtime 
looked  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  fruitful  and 
flowery,  and  showed  careful  cultivation.  Now  and 
then  a  heavy  cloud  of  smoke  disfigured  earth  and 
sky,  where  a  huge  silver  smelter  voided  its  chemi- 
cal fumes  into  the  atmosphere,  but  in  general  the  air 
was  pure  and  the  landscape  inviting.  Our  train 
drew  up  at  a  neat  and  well-kept  station,  where  well- 
horsed  carriages  were  waiting  in  numbers  to  convey 
us  through  the  city  of  Brigham  Young  and  his  fol- 
lowers. 


186  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

From  Ogden  we  came  to  Salt  Lake  City.  It  was 
a  beautiful  morning  when  we  arrived  at  this  town 
with  so  strange  a  history,  and  took  carriages  to  ride 
through  and  about  it.  The  city  is  situated  four 
thousand  three  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  in  the  same  elevated  valley  containing  the  Great 
Salt  Lake,  which  lies  fifteen  miles  westward.  It  is 
protected  by  the  lofty  range  of  the  Wahsatch  and 
Oquirrh  Mountains,  which  rise  many  thousands  of 
feet  above  the  town,  at  a  distance  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  miles.  On  leaving  the  train,  we  first  drove 
to  Prospect  Hill,  from  which  we  could  look  down 
upon  the  place  and  see  the  wide  and  rectangular 
streets  of  the  city  shaded  with  trees.  The  business 
blocks,  hotels,  and  churches  stand  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  town,  not  far  from  Temple  Block,  which 
is  the  sacred  square  of  the  Mormons.  This  square 
contains  ten  acres,  which  are  inclosed  by  a  high 
adobe  wall,  and  within  the  inclosure  stand  the  huge 
mushroom-shaped  Tabernacle,  and  the  new  Temple, 
which  has  just  been  dedicated.  The  Tabernacle  has 
a  roof  like  a  turtle  shell  or  a  mushroom,  supported  by 
forty-four  stone  pillars.  It  is  an  immense,  uninter- 
esting building,  capable  of  holding  from  eight  to 
twelve  thousand  people.  The  former  number  could 
all  be  seated.  Its  acoustic  properties  are  perfect. 
We  heard  a  whisper  and  a  pin  drop  across  the  vast 
space,  and  the  performance  for  our  benefit  upon  the 
organ  was  a  remarkable  exhibition  of  sound  effects. 

The  temple  is  a  large  and  handsome  building  of 
granite,  with  three  lofty  towers  at  each  end.  On  the 
hig-hest  tower  at  the  eastern  end  stands  a  colossal 


ACROSS   THE   SIERRA   TO   SALT   LAKE  187 

gilded  angel.  The  interior  is  devoted  to  the  secret 
rites  of  the  church.  There  is  a  large  sea  or  baptis- 
mal font,  supported  by  bronze  oxen  as  in  Solomon's 
Temple,  and  many  costly  and  beautiful  offerings. 
Since  the  dedication  —  in  1893  —  no  Gentiles  have 
been  allowed  to  pollute  this  holy  place,  but  the  Tab- 
ernacle is  used  for  many  public  purposes,  and  may 
be  entered  by  any  one.  The  Assembly  Hall  is  a 
granite  building  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
grounds,  and  is  used  for  religious  services.  It  con- 
tains wall  paintings  of  scenes  in  Mormon  histoiy. 
The  grounds  in  which  these  buildings  stand  are 
neatly  kept  and  planted  with  trees  and  flowers. 

This  Zion  of  the  "Latter  Day  Saints,"  as  the 
Mormons  prefer  to  be  called,  is  a  pleasant  and  thriv- 
ing place.  Besides  the  Mormon  temples,  there  are 
churches  belonging  to  the  Gentiles,  and  among  them 
a  sightly  and  attractive  Presbyterian  church  is  promi- 
nent. The  houses  are  mostly  small,  but  very  neat, 
and  many  of  them  stand  in  gardens  or  orchards.  The 
Mormons  are  a  thrifty  people,  and  the  farms  and 
mines  and  manufactures  of  Utah  show  conclusively 
how  prosperous  the  territory  is,  and  how  great  a  state 
Utah  might  become,  if  it  were  freed  from  the  domi- 
nation of  the  sect  whose  cruelties  and  abominations 
have  disgraced  the  nineteenth  century  in  this  land. 
Among  the  show-places  in  Salt  Lake  City  are  the 
Lion  House,  one  of  the  residences  of  the  late  Brigham 
Young,  which  has  a  carved  lion  over  the  entrance ; 
another  called  the  Beehive  House,  which  bears  the 
emblem  of  Utah  —  a  beehive  —  on  its  front ;  the  Tith- 
ing Storehouse,  where  the  Mormons  pay  their  tithes 


188  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

in  kind ;  and  Brigham  Young's  grave,  surrounded  by 
an  iron  railing. 

In  the  year  1844,  the  Mormons  were  driven  from 
Missouri  and  Illinois  by  an  outraged  public  senti- 
ment. Their  prophet,  Joseph  Smith,  and  his  brother 
Hiram  were  lynched  in  Carthage  jail  in  the  state  of 
Illinois  on  June  27,  1844,  and  after  many  disasters 
and  wanderings,  the  remnant,  under  the  leadership  of 
Brigham  Young,  made  their  long  and  perilous  pil- 
grimage across  the  plains  to  Salt  Lake  City.  Here 
in  the  desert  they  found  their  "promised  land,"  and 
began  to  plough  and  plant,  to  irrigate  and  cultivate 
the  soil.  Industry  and  perseverance  have  made  the 
Utah  valleys  productive  and  rich  beyond  all  expec- 
tation, and  the  Mormons  have  shown  how  the  great 
deserts  of  Western  America  can  be  made  to  blossom 
as  the  rose.  Mormon  practices,  under  the  name  of 
religion,  have  aroused  against  this  people  the  hos- 
tility of  the  nation,  and  their  high-handed  violation 
of  the  laws  of  the  country  has  brought  them  into 
frequent  collision  with  the  government  of  the  United 
States  ;  but  a  copious  immigration  largely  induced  by 
agents,  and  a  concentrated  form  of  government  which 
is  of  the  most  absolute  type,  have  contributed  to  their 
growth  and  prosperity.  The  territory  of  Utah  was 
organized  in  1850,  and  Brigham  Young  became  the 
first  governor.  The  territory  would  doubtless  long 
since  have  been  admitted  as  a  state,  were  it  not  for 
the  fear  that  the  Mormons,  if  freed  from  the  control 
of  the  United  States,  would  legalize  polygamy  and 
revive  the  abominations  which  have  only  been  re- 
pressed by  the  strong  arm  of  the  general  government. 


ACROSS    THE   SIERRA   TO    SALT   LAKE  189 

The  Gentile  element  is  growing  more  and  more 
powerful  each  year,  and  as  the  territory  lies  in  the 
direct  path  of  travel,  its  wealth  and  advantages  are 
becoming  known.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  in  a  few 
more  years  Mormon  influence  will  so  decline  in  com- 
parison with  the  other  elements  in  the  territory  that 
Utah  will  be  permitted  to  take  a  place  in  the  sister- 
hood of  states. 

Though  the  history  of  this  sect  has  often  been  pub- 
lished, a  brief  resume  from  trustworthy  sources  may 
not  be  out  of  place.  Mormonism  dates  from  1820, 
when  Joseph  Smith  became  interested  in  religious 
matters  during  a  revival  in  the  town  of  Manchester, 
New  York,  where  he  lived.  He  was  a  youth  of  four- 
teen years  of  age,  very  thoughtful  and  conscientious. 
He  asked  God  to  direct  him  to  decide  which  of  the 
sects  was  right,  and  in  answer  saw  a  vision  and  was 
told  that  all  sects  were  wrong.  In  future  visions  he 
was  appointed  to  the  priesthood  of  the  Son  of  God,  and 
directed  to  restore  the  true  church  on  earth,  which 
should  last  forever.  He  was  also  directed  where  to 
find  the  inspired  history  of  the  aborigines  of  Amer- 
ica, engraven  in  ancient  characters  on  metal  plates. 
He  was  inspired  to  translate  this  into  English,  and 
to  publish  it  in  1830;  from  English  it  has  been  trans- 
lated and  published  in  many  languages.  This  is  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  A  year  previous,  John  the  Bap- 
tist had  appeared  to  Joseph  Smith  and  his  compan- 
ion, Oliver  Cowdery,  and  ordained  them  to  the 
Aaronic  priesthood;  and  in  the  same  year,  Peter, 
James,  and  John  appeared  to  them  and  ordained 
them  to  the  apostleship  of  the  Melchisedec,  or  higher 


190  BEYOND  THE   KOCKIES 

priesthood.  This  is  Joseph  Smith's  account  of  the 
origin  of  Mormonism.  The  Church  of  Latter  Day 
Saints  was  organized  with  six  members,  April  6, 1830, 
at  Fayette,  New  York,  by  Smith.  Twelve  apostles, 
seventies,  high  priests,  elders,  bishops,  priests, 
teachers,  and  deacons  have  been  since  ordained  to 
the  number  of  thousands.  They  have  sent  out  agents 
into  many  nations  to  proselyte,  and  have  been  espe- 
cially successful  in  the  British  Isles  and  in  Scandi- 
navia. The  baptized  converts  now  number  several 
hundred  thousand.  The  Latter  Day  Saints  profess 
belief  in  God  the  Father,  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  his 
atonement  for  sin,  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  faith,  re- 
pentance, baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  the  laying  on  of  hands  to  impart  the  powej'  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the 
judgment.  They  recognize  divine  authority  as  nec- 
essary in  the  call  and  ordination  to  preach  the  Gospel 
and  administer  the  ordinances  of  the  church.  They 
believe  in  the  religious  orders  named  above,  also  in 
the  revelations  contained  in  the  Bible,  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  and  other  inspired  books.  They  hold  to 
the  sacredness  and  eternity  of  marriages.  The}'  look 
for  the  building  of  Jerusalem  and  Zion,  and  the  per- 
sonal reign  of  Christ  on  earth  as  King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords. 

Such  is  a  brief  summary  of  the  rise  and  doctrines 
of  this  strange  people.  They  are  a  sect  gathered  out 
of  many  nations,  mostly  from  the  ignorant  and  super- 
stitious, and  from  races  of  strong  and  animal  } mis- 
sions. They  have  been  governed  and  controlled 
with  great  sagacity  by  leaders  of  acknowledged  abil- 


ACROSS   THE   SIERRA    TO    SALT    LAKE  191 

ity,  who  are  always  to  be  found  for  such  service 
among  the  children  of  men.  Their  belief  is  a  mix- 
ture of  Judaism,  Christianity,  and  animalism,  and 
their  worship  sentimental  and  devotional.  Their 
presiding  officer  in  the  church  is  now  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff, with  George  Q.  Cannon,  who  has  been  the  terri- 
torial delegate  in  Congress,  and  Joseph  F.  Smith  as 
his  counsellors. 

We  did  not  care  to  linger  long  in  such  a  city. 
While  it  was  yet  early  we  drove  beyond  the  city 
limits  to  Fort  Douglas,  situated  on  a  fine  plateau 
five  hundred  feet  higher  than  the  city.  An  electric 
railway  makes  it  easy  for  the  soldiers  to  come  into 
town  and  for  the  residents  to  go  out  to  the  military 
parades,  but  the  Mormons  have  no  love  for  the 
United  States  troops,  and  the  visitors  at  parade  and 
guard  mounting  are  chiefly  strangers.  There  are 
more  troops  at  Fort  Douglas  than  at  any  other  West- 
ern military  post.  Among  the  soldiers  on  parade 
was  one  company  of  Indians,  which  compared  favor- 
ably with  the  other  soldiers,  and  seemed  to  have  a 
specially  warlike  appearance.  By  the  reports  of  all 
who  have  to  do  with  them,  trained  Indians  make 
excellent  soldiers.  We  loitered  about  the  fort,  lis- 
tening to  the  music  of  an  excellent  band,  and  enjoy- 
ing the  extensive  view  from  the  parade  ground,  and 
then  drove  back  to  town  and  took  the  train  for  the 
Denver  and  Rio  Grande  scenic  route. 


XXVII 
CROSSING   THE   ROCKY   MOUNTAINS 

"WILD      AND      GRAND      SCENERY NEW     AND     WONDERFUL 

HOT    SPRINGS SIX  HUNDRED  MILES  FOR  TWENTY-FIVE 

CENTS TWO      MILES      UP     IN     THE     AIR LEADVILLE, 

COLORADO THE  COLLEGIATE  MOUNTAINS CLIMBING 

MARSHALL     PASS RAILROADS      AS      HIGH     AS     MOUNT 

BLANC ENGINES    PLAY  HIDE  AND  SEEK THE    ROYAL 

GORGE AN     ENGINEERING     FEAT THE     PITTSBURGH 

OF    THE    WEST 

Our  homeward  journey  from  Salt  Lake  City  was 
resumed  over  the  Denver,  Rio  Grande,  and  Western 
Railway,  and  the  stages  of  travel  were  so  arranged 
that  we  went  through  the  grandest  scenery  of  the 
route  by  daylight.  We  followed  up  the  Jordan 
Valley  for  about  fifty  miles,  passing  through  a  well 
cultivated  region,  and  came  to  Provo,  a  Mormon  town 
situated  on  Utah  Lake,  a  fresh-water  lake  whose  out- 
let is  the  Jordan  River.  From  Provo  the  railroad 
climbs  by  Spanish  Creek  over  Soldier  Summit,  one 
of  the  lower  passes  of  the  Wahsatch  range.  The 
pass  is  named  from  the  burial  of  a  soldier  of  the 
Confederate  army  here.  We  had  risen  more  than 
thirty-two  hundred  feet  in  the  ninety-five  miles  that 
we  had  traversed  since  leaving  Salt  Lake  City,  and 

192 


CKOSSING    THE   ROCKY   MOUNTAINS  193 

were  now  about  seventy-five  hundred  feet  above  sea- 
level.  The  views  were  wild  and  grand,  but  not 
extended,  for  we  were  travelling  among  high  moun- 
tains. The  descent  was  along  the  valley  of  Price 
River  for  seventy  miles,  and  beyond  the  junction  of 
Price  and  Green  rivers  the  road  followed  the  Green 
River  for  more  than  two  hundred  miles. 

A  striking  feature  of  this  part  of  the  route  is 
found  in  the  Price  River  Canon,  where  the  gorge 
narrows  to  a  space  barely  sufficient  for  the  passage 
of  the  river,  and  two  pinnacles  of  brilliant-colored 
sandstone,  rising  to  the  height  of  five  hundred  feet, 
form  the  entrance.  So  remarkable  is  the  resem- 
blance of  this  natural  formation  to  towers  of  human 
construction,  that  the  name  "  Castle  Gate  "  seems 
most  appropriate  to  the  entrance  to  the  deep  and 
narrow  valley.  All  day  we  were  among  the  moun- 
tains, following  the  Green  River.  This  is  a  majes- 
tic and  navigable  stream  which  joins  the  Grand 
River  ninety  miles  below  the  town  of  Green  River, 
and  the  junction  of  these  two  forms  the  Colorado 
River.  On  one  side  are  the  Roan  Mountains,  whose 
cliffs  are  variegated  in  curious  veins  and  lines,  and 
on  the  other  side  rise  the  San  Rafael  Mountains. 
Beyond  Utah  the  Colorado  Desert  opens  before  us 
—  dry,  bare,  and  dismal.  The  fantastic  shapes  of 
the  Little  Book  cliffs  relieve  the  monotony  of  the 
way,  but  we  were  glad  to  arrive  at  Grand  Junction, 
from  whence,  following  the  left  side  of  Grand  River 
through  fantastic  canons,  long  tunnels,  and  pretty 
mountain  vales,  we  came  to  a  new  and  thriving 
watering-place  called  Glenwood  Springs. 


194  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

Glenwood  Springs  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
thermal  springs  of  this  section.  The  outflow  of  ten 
of  the  larger  springs  is  about  eight  thousand  gallons 
a  minute,  or  twenty  times  as  much  as  all  the  fifty- 
seven  springs  at  the  Hot  Springs  in  Arkansas  com- 
bined. A  few  years  ago  the  place  was  a  part  of  an 
Indian  reservation,  and  little  was  known  of  the 
springs  which  have  since  made  the  region  so  famous. 
The  town  is  simply  accessory  to  the  springs.  These 
are  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Grand  River  and 
Roaring  Fork,  in  a  picturesque  valley,  fift}T-two 
hundred  feet  above  sea-level,  surrounded  by  high 
hills  which  are  still  covered  with  native  forests. 

A  fine  hotel,  which  can  accommodate  several  hun- 
dred guests,  stands  upon  a  terrace  above  the  springs. 
Below  the  hotel  is  the  bath-house,  which  with  its 
pools  and  fountains  cost  several  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  The  "  Big  Pool "  is  probably  the  largest 
swimming  pool  of  hot  spring  water  in  the  world. 
It  covers  more  than  an  acre,  and  the  waters  are 
freshly  supplied  from  the  hot  springs,  which  pour 
into  the  great  enclosure  two  thousand  gallons  per 
minute.  From  the  midst  of  this  great  swimming- 
pool  a  fountain  of  cold  water  rises  with  graceful  jets. 
The  depth  of  the  pool  is  gradual,  from  three  and  one- 
half  to  five  and  one-half  feet;  the  walls  are  of  red 
sandstone  and  the  floor  of  smooth  brick.  The  pool 
is  without  a  roof,  and  beyond  the  broad  stone  coping 
there  is  a  gravelled  promenade.  It  is  the  custom  of 
the  place  for  people  to  walk  around  the  pool  and 
watch  the  bathers,  and  crowds  may  be  seen  in  and 
out  of  the  water  on  any  fine  morning.     Within  the 


CROSSING   THE   ROCKY   MOUNTAINS  195 

elegant  bath-house  there  are  many  private  rooms 
fitted  with  porcelain  tubs,  besides  parlors  and  reading- 
rooms  and  lounging-rooms.  A  physician  also  has 
an  office  here,  and  is  in  attendance  all  day.  In 
addition  to  the  tubs  there  are  large  private  Roman 
baths  of  porcelain  and  glass,  supplied  with  hot  and 
cold  showers,  vapor  cave  baths,  and  every  facility  for 
Russian  and  Turkish  treatment. 

While  we  were  at  Glenwood  Springs,  two  rival 
roads  were  running  excursion  trains  from  Denver, 
which  is  about  three  hundred  miles  distant.  One 
road  carried  passengers  for  a  dollar;  the  rival  sold 
its  tickets  for  twenty-five  cents.  Many  inhabitants 
of  Denver  thought  that  it  was  cheaper  to  travel  than 
to  stay  at  home,  and  consequently  the  little  town 
around  Glenwood  Springs  was  crowded  to  repletion. 
People  who  could  not  find  beds  slept  on  tables  or 
settees,  and  we  saw  wearied  couples  who  had  sat  up 
all  night  on  chairs,  thankful  for  shelter.  As  a  natu- 
ral result  of  such  crowded  excursion  trains,  the  regu- 
lar time-tables  could  not  be  maintained;  there  were 
some  minor  accidents,  and  the  risk  of  many  more. 
The  hotels  ran  out  of  food  and  drink,  and  the  prices 
of  things  to  eat  advanced  in  proportion  to  their 
scarcity.  We  were  glad  to  have  command  of  a  well- 
stocked  Pullman  train  upon  which  we  had  enough 
to  eat  and  drink,  and  comfortable  places  to  sleep. 
But  our  time-table  was  interfered  with  by  these 
excursions,  and  also  by  several  heavy  landslides, 
which  are  not  unusual  in  the  canons  through  which 
the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Railroad  winds  its  way. 

Wc  left  Glenwood  Springs  about  noon,  and  trav- 


196  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

elled  through  the  canon  of  the  Grand  River  for 
eighteen  or  twenty  miles.  Its  rocky  sides  rise  in 
columns  and  battlements  from  two  thousand  to 
twenty-five  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  the  full 
flowing  river  plunges  and  roars  through  this  abyss. 
The  darkness  of  the  chasm,  into  which  sunlight 
rarely  falls,  adds  to  the  sublimity  of  the  scene. 
There  seems  to  be  scanty  room  for  the  railway  and 
the  river,  and  one  wonders  at  the  hardihood  which 
built  a  railroad  in  such  a  place.  After  this  sublime 
experience,  it  was  a  relief  to  traverse  an  open  and 
rolling  country  for  thirty  miles  before  repeating  our 
emotions  at  Eagle  River  Canon.  For  thirty  miles 
or  more  the  road  climbs  steadily,  rising  four  thou- 
sand feet  in  that  distance,  and  reaching,  at  the  Ten- 
nessee Pass,  a  height  of  10,440  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  scenery  of  the  first  part  of  the  route  is  most 
majestic  and  interesting.  We  had  come  into  the 
midst  of  one  of  the  largest  mining  camps  in  the 
world.  All  along  the  almost  perpendicular  walls  of 
the  canon,  miners'  dwellings  were  seen  clinging  to 
the  rocks ;  the  de*bris  of  the  shafts,  stagings,  water- 
wheels,  and  mining  paraphernalia  met  our  view  at 
every  turn;  the  rocky  heights,  some  of  which  were 
of  a  deep  red  color,  broken  into  curious  forms  of 
gigantic  birds  and  animals,  or  arranged  in  grand 
architectural  designs  of  Egyptian  proportions ;  the 
mountain  peaks  beyond  that  reared  their  dark  forms 
far  up  into  the  heavens ;  the  frequent  waterfalls  and 
the  vast  mass  of  the  yellow  torrent  whirling  through 
the  gorge,  joined  to  make  the  scene  grand  and  im- 
pressive.    The  canon  ended  almost  abruptly  at  the 


CROSSING   THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS  197 

picturesque  mining  town  of  Red  Cliff,  and  we 
emerged  into  a  more  open,  though  very  elevated 
country.  Lofty  mountains  densely  wooded  on  their 
slopes,  sometimes  bare  and  rough  as  they  ended  in 
domes  and  peaks  far  above  us,  were  seen  on  every 
side,  and  among  them  the  noble  mountain  of  the 
Holy  Cross.  The  engineering  of  the  road  is  magni- 
ficent  it    plunges    through   rocky  spurs   or  winds 

around  them ;  it  doubles  on  itself  and  lifts  its  track 
to  seemingly  inaccessible  heights,  whence  the  trav- 
eller looks  down  with  awe  and  wonder. 

Passing  by  the  Fremont  Pass  on  a  lower  level,  we 
came  to  the  Tennessee  Pass,  and  here  crossed  the 
Continental  watershed  at  a  height  of  nearly  two 
miles  above  the  sea.  After  steaming  a  dozen  miles, 
we  drew  up  at  Leadville.  Here  all  got  out  of  the 
train  and  began  to  walk  about,  but  some  of  the  party 
at  once  felt  dizzy,  and  many  noticed  an  increased 
action  of  the  heart,  due  to  the  rarity  of  the  air.  This 
town  is  finely  situated  at  a  height  of  ten  thousand 
two  hundred  feet,  among  lofty  mountains,  and  has  a 
population  of  ten  thousand,  most  of  whom  are  in- 
terested in  mining.  It  is  an  old  town  for  this 
region,  having  been  founded  in  1859,  under  the  name 
of  California  Gulch,  and  it  was  for  many  years  one 
of  the  richest  gold-washing  camps  in  Colorado.  It 
is  said  that  during  the  first  five  years  of  its  existence 
five  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  gold  dust  was 
washed  from  the  earth  of  this  gulch.  Then  the 
place  was  nearly  abandoned  for  ten  years,  till  in 
1876,  extensive  beds  of  carbonate  silver  were  dis- 
covered, and  a  population  reckoned  as  high  as  thirty 


198  BEYONI»    THE    ROCKIES 

thousand  rushed  in.  The  name  of  "Leadville"  was 
given  to  the  former  "Gulch,"  and  the  annual  yield 
of  silver  from  the  Leadville  mines  has  been,  till 
recently,  about  thirteen  millions  of  dollars.  We 
made  a  brief  stop  at  this  "city  above  the  clouds.""  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  and  then  commenced  our  rapid 
descent  through  the  valley  of  the  Arkansas  River, 
between  mighty  hills,  to  Salida,  where  we  stopped 
for  the  night  to  rest  and  prepare  for  an  excursion  on 
the  next  day  to  the  famous  Marshall  Pass.  These 
days  among  the  Rockv  Mountains  give  ;i  traveller 
some  conception  of  the  wonders  and  novelties  of 
this  vast  mountain  range.  "We  have  only  begun  to 
explore  its  mysteries,  to  gather  its  wealth,  and  to 
study  its  manifold  and  sublime  features.  The 
future  has  much  to  reveal  to  the  student  and  ex- 
plorer in  these  rocky  fastnesses  which  Wendell 
Phillips  eloquently  called  the  "ramparts  of  freedom.'' 

Salida  is  a  small  town  beautifully  situated  on  the 
Arkansas  River,  commanding  a  errand  mountain  view. 
From  a  small  hill  in  front  of  the  station,  the  three 
"Collegiate"  peaks  of  the  Sawatch  range,  Mounts 
Yale.  Princeton,  and  Harvard,  each  more  than  four- 
teen thousand  feet  in  height  and  crowned  with  per- 
petual snow,  fill  the  western  horizon.  In  the  south 
rise  the  snowy  summits  of  the  Sangre  de  Cristo 
range,  and  Mounts  Ouray  and  Shavano  in  the  south- 
west. 

A  special  train  was  in  waiting  after  breakfast  to 
make  an  excursion  to  the  Marshall  Pass.  The  road 
went  directly  for  the  mountains,  and  soon  was  wind- 
ing its  way  along  steep  embankments  and  shelving 


CROSSING   THE   KOCKY    MOUNTAINS  199 

precipices.  As  the  train  drew  near  to  the  Poncho 
Pass,  Mounts  Shavano  and  Ouray,  peaks  named  in 
honor  of  chiefs  of  the  Ute  tribe  of  Indians,  became 
most  prominent.  The  narrow  gauge  road  leads 
towards  Ouray.  The  mountain  is  fourteen  thousand 
feet  high,  and  the  summit  of  the  pass  is  10,852  feet 
high.  The  road  twists  and  turns,  and  doubles  upon 
itself,  so  that  at  some  points  three  and  even  four 
parts  of  the  line  seem  parallel,  until  it  comes  out 
directly  at  the  base  of  the  great  snow  dome  of  the 
Ouray  Mountain.  The  scenery  on  this  road  is  of 
the  grandest  sort.  Long  ranges  of  snow-covered 
mountains,  in  cones  and  pyramids,  all  of  which  are 
within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  the  height  of  Mount 
Blanc  in  Switzerland,  greet  the  eye.  Lower  down, 
wooded  heights  fringe  the  snow  line,  and  elevated 
valleys  diversify  the  landscape.  The  prospect  is  not 
dreary  and  desolate,  but  sublime  and  inspiring,  and 
the  pass  somewhat  resembles  the  Stelvio  Pass  in 
Italian  Switzerland,  where  the  roadway  reaches  a 
height  of  ten  thousand  feet,  and  looks  at  once  into 
the  regions  of  perpetual  snow  and  the  cultivated 
valleys  of  the  Tyrol. 

The  inevitable  snow-sheds  appeared  as  we  ascended, 
and  the  actual  top  of  the  Marshall  Pass,  the  conti- 
nental divide  upon  which  so  much  eloquence  has 
been  expended,  is  in  the  middle  of  a  dingy  construc- 
tion of  this  sort.  Here  we  were,  sitting  comfortably 
on  the  very  ridgepole  of  the  continent.  I  seemed  to 
hear  with  new  force  those  sermons  and  moral  ad- 
dresses which  nry  youthful  memory  recalled,  and  of 
which  the  Marshall  Pass  was  the  star  illustration. 


200  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

The  drop  of  water  on  the  summit  of  this  pass  may 
be  turned  by  the  wind,  by  a  tiny  stone,  by  the  slight- 
est influence  or  obstacle  to  one  side  or  the  other  of 
the  ridge.  How  vast  the  difference  of  experience 
and  result  which  hangs  upon  that  alternative !  Flow- 
ing to  the  east,  it  will  join  the  rivers  which  fructify 
the  fertile  and  far-extending  continent,  will  water 
cultivated  and  peaceful  regions,  will  contribute  to 
inland  navigation,  to  the  development  of  valuable 
industries,  the  prosperity  of  a  nation,  the  blessing 
of  the  world.  Flowing  to  the  west,  after  a  wild  and 
turbulent  plunge  over  precipices,  through  gloomy 
canons,  lashed  into  foam,  dizzied  in  whirlpools,  torn 
by  jagged  rocks,  out  of  sight  in  subterranean  pas- 
sages, or  tortured  by  desert  heat  and  hurried  through 
uninhabited  and  inhospitable  tracts  of  earth,  it  will 
bury  a  miserable  existence  in  the  lonely  Pacific. 
Such  and  so  important  are  the  turning-points,  the 
crises,  in  human  lives,  in  national  existence,  in  the 
history  of  an  enterprise  or  of  an  institution.  The 
simile  is  an  admirable  one,  and  it  has  been  made  to 
do  frequent  duty  ever  since  the  Marshall  Pass  was 
discovered.  Doubtless  it  was  used  by  orators  and 
essayists  long  before,  but  the  Rocky  Mountains  gave 
it  a  new  prominence.  And  here  we  were,  in  such 
a  classic  spot,  under  a  sooty  shed,  and  the  poetic 
drops  were  aggregating  dirty  pools  along  a  cindery 
railway  track.  We  climbed  out  of  the  train  and 
found  a  door  and  a  plank  walk  which  led  through 
the  snow  to  a  wind-swept  frame  tower.  The  blood 
mounted  to  the  brain  and  the  ears  buzzed  as  with  a 
dose  of  quinine  while  I  climbed  the  staircase  which 


CROSSING   THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS  201 

lifted  me  to  nearly  eleven  thousand  feet  above  the 
sea-level.  The  wind  came  rushing  through  the  pass 
like  a  cavalry  squadron,  bearing  flurries  of  feathery 
snow;  and  the  sun  shone  out,  and  far  and  wide  the 
mountain  landscape  glittered  and  glowed  in  its 
beams.  One  does  not  care  to  stay  long  upon  sum- 
mits. They  are  briefly  inspiring,  but  the  work  of 
the  world  is  done  lower  down  and  mostly  on  the 
dull  levels.  Peter  wanted  three  tabernacles  on 
Mount  Tabor,  but  the  Master  paid  no  attention  to 
his  remark,  and  the  inspired  narrator  tells  us  that 
Peter  wist  not  what  he  said. 

We  came  down  more  rapidly  than  we  went  up, 
but  with  great  care  on  the  part  of  our  engineer.  He 
used  gravity  as  a  motive  power  and  steam  for  the 
brakes.  Our  extra  engine  went  ahead.  It  was  a 
pretty  play  of  "hide  and  seek  "  around  the  curves, 
and  sometimes  four  terraces  of  the  same  track  were 
below  us,  the  lower  one  directly  in  front,  six  miles 
distant,  and  a  thousand  feet  below.  The  maximum 
grade  of  the  railway  is  two  hundred  and  eleven  feet 
to  the  mile,  and  there  are  curves  that  reach  twenty- 
four  degrees  in  one  hundred  feet.  From  Salida  to 
Sargeant  is  forty-two  miles,  and  one-half  of  the  dis- 
tance is  taken  up  in  crossing  the  Marshall  Pass  by 
zigzags.  We  were  at  Salida  in  time  for  dinner,  and 
in  the  afternoon  took  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
journeys  which  has  been  embraced  in  our  tour,  down 
the  Arkansas  River.  Five  miles  from  Salida  are  the 
Wellsville  Hot  Springs,  which  are  celebrated  for 
their  medicinal  qualities ;  thence  the  road  meanders 
down  through  broad  valleys,  following  the  Arkansas 


202  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

River.  Gradually  the  mountains  close  upon  the 
river,  which  begins  to  rage  and  boil  at  its  confine- 
ment, and  reaches  the  climax  of  its  fury  as  it  flings 
itself  into  the  jaws  of  the  Royal  Gorge.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  wonderful  scenes  in  the  transcontinen- 
tal route.  The  rocks  tower  to  a  perpendicular  height 
of  twenty-six  hundred  feet,  and  through  this  defile 
the  heaped-up  waters  of  the  Arkansas  River  rush  and 
roar.  It  must  have  seemed  madness  to  engineer  a 
railroad  through  such  a  pass,  but  the  men  who 
planned  the  road  have  carried  it  out.  The  track  is 
carried  on  a  bridge  which  is  literally  hung  from  the 
smooth  walls  of  rock  on  one  side  and  braced  b}^  iron 
beams  from  the  opposite  precipice.  The  onl}r  equal 
engineering  feat  that  I  recall  is  where  the  Dalsland 
Canal  at  Hoverud,  in  Sweden,  is  carried  across  a 
river  at  a  perilous  height  in  an  immense  iron  trough. 
The  sensation  during  the  transit  of  the  Royal  Gorge 
reminded  me  of  my  feelings  years  ago,  when  at  the 
canal  crossing  on  the  Dalsland.  This,  however,  has 
more  elements  of  sublimity.  The  gorge  is  nar- 
rower, the  precipices  are  much  more  lofty  and  per- 
pendicular, and  the  river  is  larger  and  more  awful  in 
its  fury. 

Continuing  down  the  Arkansas  Canon,  we  came  to 
Canon  City,  where  miners  and  stockmen  have  their 
headquarters,  where  the  climate  is  said  to  be  perfect, 
and  the  mineral  Avaters  excellent,  and  soon  after 
reached  Pueblo.  Pueblo  is  an  active  and  hand- 
somely built  city,  containing  about  twenty-five 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  called  the  "  Pittsburgh 
of  the  West,"  and  is  the  metropolis  of  south  central 


CROSSING   THE   ROCKY    MOUNTAINS  203 

Colorado,  and  a  great  railway  junction.  Rolling- 
mills  and  iron  works,  and  large  smelters  for  the  re- 
duction of  gold,  silver,  lead,  and  copper  have  been 
established  here,  and  it  has  also  a  large  business  in 
agricultural  products.  There  is  nothing  to  detain 
the  traveller  unless  he  is  interested  in  metal  and 
mining  industries,  and  after  a  short  visit  we  re- 
sumed our  journey.  From  Pueblo  to  Colorado 
Springs  is  one  long  panorama  of  magnificent  scenery. 
Through  the  whole  distance  majestic  mountains, 
broad  plains  sweeping  eastward,  and  flourishing- 
towns  meet  the  eye.  The  mountains  of  which  Pike's 
Peak  is  the  prominent  summit  are  always  in  sight. 
It  was  the  evening  of  a  day  full  of  wonderful  enjoy- 
ment among  the  great  and  awful  works  of  the  Creator, 
which  found  us  in  the  full  civilization  and 'rest  of 
one  of  the  most  famous  health  resorts  of  the  nation, 
—  Colorado  Springs. 


XXVIII 

COLORADO      SPRINGS,      MANITOU,      AND 
DENVER 

the     invalids'     home the     mineral    springs     of 

manitou  "garden  of  the  gods  " helen  hunt 

jackson's  grave  —  pike's  peak  —  its  difficulties, 

wonders,  and  glories the  central  city  of  the 

union  mines     and     industries  enterprising 

people daniel  webster  no  prophet the  view 

from  city   park hospitality  and  home  feeling 

on  to  the  exposition home  again 

Colorado  Springs  is  a  town  of  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  inhabitants,  handsomely  laid  out  upon  an 
elevated  plateau,  about  six  miles  from  the  base  of 
Pike's  Peak.  It  has  wide  streets  shaded  with  trees, 
trolley  railways  running  in  various  directions,  a 
great  many  handsome  houses  and  fine  churches,  and 
a  population  largely  composed  of  people  of  delicate 
lungs,  who  have  found  here  a  place  where  they  can 
live  with  comfort.  The  town  was  founded  in  1871, 
and  it  has  been  carefully  preserved  from  the  inroads 
of  manufactures.  Colorado  College  is  located  here, 
and  the  philanthropist,  the  late  Mr.  George  W. 
Childs,  of  Philadelphia,  here  founded  a  home  for 
decayed  printers.  There  are  educational  institu- 
tions, and  the  state  asylum  for  the   deaf  and  dumb 

204 


COLORADO  SPRINGS.  MANITOU,  AW)  DENVER 

also  here.  No  liquor  saloons  are  allowed  in  the 
place,  and  the  Sabbath  that  we  spent  at  Colorado 
Springs  had  a  New  England  character  which  was 
quite  refreshing  after  the  experiences  of  many  of 
our  Sundays.  Rev.  Livingston  L.  Taylor  is  the 
pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  a  man  of 
health  and  power,  and  with  his  church  is  alive 
every  hospitable  and  Christian  duty,  as  well  as 
earnest  in  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel. 

There  are  no  "springs"  nearer  to  the  town  than 
Manitou.  about  six  miles  away,  where  we  pass 
some  pleasant  days,  but  Colorado  Springs  is  never- 
theless the  right  place  for  invalids  to  live  in.  Its 
climate  is  like  that  of  the  Engadine.  but  the  moun- 
tains are  not  so  near,  while  to  the  east  and  south  of 
the  town  spreads  a  boundless  table-land  which  con- 
tinually recalls  the  ocean  on  a  calm,  mild  day.  The 
air  is  dry.  the  sunshine  almost  constant,  and  there  is 
no  frost  nor  melting  snow,  nor  any  rain  from  v 
teniber  to  April.  The  town  is  sheltered  by  the  foot- 
hills, except  where  the  plateau  extends  on  the  south- 
east, and  enjoys  the  openness  and  fresh  air  from  the 
mountains :  the  soil  is  dry  sand  and  gravel  with  a 
layer  of  loam  on  top :  all  water  is  brought  from  the 
mountains,  and  the  sewerage  and  sanitary  arrange- 
ments are  excellent.  There  are  many  good  phy- 
sicians, excellent  society,  opportunities  for  riding, 
driving,  and  out-of-door  amusement,  and  all  the 
facilities  for  comfortable  and  happy  life.  The  cli- 
mate is  said  to  be  especially  suited  to  consumptives 
or  those  who  have  a  tendency  to  that  disease.  It  is 
also  recommended  for  debilitv  and  nervous  exhaus- 


200  BEYOND   THE   ROCKIES 

tion,  bat  not  adapted  to  the  aged  or  to  those  who 
have  organic  nervous  or  heart  troubles. 

Six  miles  from  Colorado  Springs,  situated  in  a 
small  valley  among  the  spurs  of  Pike's  Peak,  and  at 
the  mouth  of  Ute  Pass,  is  Manitou  Springs.  There 
is  not  an  acre  of  level  ground  in  the  valley,  and  the 
hotels  and  dwellings  are  perched  on  terraces  and  hill- 
sides. Through  an  opening  in  the  hills  the  snow- 
white  crest  of  Pike's  Peak  is  seen,  and  a  cog-wheel 
railway  makes  the  ascent  an  easy  matter  for  the 
traveller.  The  springs  are  twelve  in  number,  divided 
into  three  groups,  and  are  situated  on  the  banks  of 
Fountain  Creek,  a  stream  that  flows  swiftly  through 
the  centre  of  the  village,  or  on  Ruxton's  Creek, 
which  comes  from  the  Ute  Pass.  They  have  dis- 
tinctive names,  —  Navajo,  Shoshone,  Manitou,  Little 
Chief,  and  Iron.  The  water  is  impregnated  with 
carbonate  of  soda,  and  is  used  for  drinking  and  bath- 
ing. All  day  long  people  may  be  seen  drinking  and 
tilling  demijohns  and  bottles  at  the  public  fountains, 
and  sometimes  family  wagons  stop,  and  while  the 
father  fills  the  jug,  the  mother  fills  the  numerous 
children  with  the  healthful  liquid. 

Between  the  towns  of  Colorado  Springs  and  Mani- 
tou, lies  the  far-famed  "Garden  of  the  Gods."  Pho- 
tographs and  descriptions  have  made  this  place 
familiar,  but  none  of  them  convey  the  grotesque  and 
curious  scene  in  its  completeness  to  the  mind.  The 
"garden"  is  a  tract  of  about  five  hundred  acres  in 
extent,  inclosed  by  cliffs  and  hills,  and  thickly 
strewn  with  immense  masses  of  red  and  white  sand- 
stone in  most  odd  and  fantastic  shapes.     The  imagi- 


COLORADO  SPRINGS,  MANITOU,  AND  DENVER      207 

nation  runs  riot  in  a  place  like  this,  and  different 
groups  of  the  sandstone  have  been  named  for  animals 
and  edifices  and  mythological  monsters.  A  drive 
through  the  garden  affords  any  number  of  fine  views 
of  the  mountains  and  the  table-lands,  as  well  as  an 
acquaintance  with  the  geological  wonders  of  the 
place ;  and  it  is  usually  taken  in  connection  with  a 
visit  to  Glen  Eyrie,  where  General  Palmer  has  pro- 
duced a  little  paradise  in  the  midst  of  the  most  fan- 
tastic scenery.  The  neighborhood  is  full  of  places 
of  natural  and  personal  interest.  In  one  canon  a 
beautiful  red  sandstone  is  quarried,  in  another  there 
are  extensive  silver  mines,  and  high  up  on  the  moun- 
tain-side of  South  Canon  is  the  spot  chosen  by  Helen 
Hunt  Jackson  for  her  burial-place.  This  celebrated 
author  loved  the  South  Canon  with  its  musical 
Seven  Falls,  and  often  resorted  to  it  for  recreation 
and  musing,  and  in  accordance  with  a  desire  fre- 
quently expressed  in  life,  that  this  should  be  her 
last  resting-place,  she  was  buried  here.  It  is  a  sad 
and  gloomy  place  for  a  lonely  grave,  marked  only  by 
a  pile  of  rocks  which  have  been  placed  by  literary 
admirers  and  sympathizing  visitors  upon  the  sacred 
spot.  A  drive  up  the  Ute  Pass,  past  Rainbow  Falls 
on  Fountain  Creek,  brings  the  visitor  to  the  Grand 
Caverns,  which  contain  fine  formations  of  stalactites 
and  stalagmites  and  flowering  alabaster.  There  are 
also  numerous  fossils  and  bones  of  animals  and  men. 
There  are  a  number  of  chambers  and  halls  extending 
for  nearly  a  mile  underground,  in  some  of  which  the 
lime  formation  is  still  going  on,  and  in  all  of  which 
the  petrifactions  are  interesting  and  beautiful. 


208  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

The  great  excursion  from  Manitou  is  to  Pike's 
Peak.  This  is  one  of  the  best  known  summits  of  the 
Rock}-  Mountains.  There  is  a  carriage  road  which 
ascends  by  a  comparatively  easy  grade  in  seventeen 
miles,  a  bridle-path,  and  a  foot  trail,  all  of  which  are 
used,  but  the  majority  who  now  make  the  ascent  do 
si  i  by  the  cog-wheel  railway,  which  is  about  nine 
miles  long,  with  a  total  rise  of  seventy-five  hundred 
feet,  an  average  of  about  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
to  the  mile.  It  takes  two  hours  to  reach  the  top, 
and  costs  five  dollars  for  the  round  trip.  Major 
Zebulon  Pike,  whose  name  the  mountain  bears,  tried 
nearly  a  century  ago  —  in  180H  —  to  scale  this  lofty 
height.  He  succeeded  in  reaching  the  top  of  the 
neighboring  mountain  now  called  Cheyenne,  bujb  the 
difficulties  beyond  seemed  so  great  that  the  attempt 
was  abandoned,  and  he  wrote  that  "no  human  being 
could  ascend  to  that  summit."  It  was  fifty  years 
before  the  ascent  was  known  to  be  attempted  again, 
and  then  a  regular  trail  was  made,  and  now  and  then 
a  venturesome  traveller  scaled  the  mountain  by  this 
long  and  dangerous  route.  After  1870,  new  paths 
were  made,  and  as  the  region  had  been  much  ex- 
plored by  miners  and  engineers,  the  ascent  began  to 
be  more  frequently  attempted.  In  1889  the  first  car- 
riage road  was  built  up  the  north  and  west  sides  of 
the  mountain  by  frequent  zigzags.  By  these  ways 
travellers  could  make  the  trip  in  one.  two.  or  three 
days,  according  to  weather  and  strength.  The  idea 
of  an  iron  railroad  was  published  in  1884.  but  it  was 
not  realized  until  1890.  In  October  of  that  year  a 
golden   spike  fastened   the    last  rail  in  the  highest 


COLORADO  SPRINGS,  MANITOU,  AND  DENVER       200 

railroad  in  the  world,  and  made  it  easy  to  go  in  half 
a  day  to  the  top  of  this  mountain,  14,147  feet  above 
the  sea.  The  road  begins  in  Engleman's  Canon, 
near  the  Iron  Springs,  and  climbs  through  wild  and 
beautiful  scenes,  among  forests,  and  ravines,  and 
waterfalls,  to  the  Half-way  House.  Thence  over  a 
level  stretch,  amid  groves  of  pine  and  aspen,  for 
more  than  two  miles,  from  which  point  superb  dis- 
tant views  are  obtained;  the  road  then  goes  on  to  a 
steep  incline,  at  what  is  called  Timber  Line,  11,625 
feet  above  the  sea.  A  sharp  turn  is  then  made  to 
climb  into  the  "Saddle,"  and  a  steep  rise  of  about 
eight  hundred  feet  brings  the  train  to  the  old  gov- 
ernment signal  station,  on  the  top  of  the  peak. 

Like  most  mountains,  this  veteran  is  coy  and  un- 
certain ;  snow-squalls  and  mists  sometimes  disappoint 
the  tourist;  but  the  climate  of  the  region  is  so  tine, 
the  atmosphere  so  pure  and  dry,  and  the  ascent  so 
easily  made,  that  with  a  fair  day  at  command,  one 
does  not  often  descend  unrewarded  for  his  toil.  The 
view  from  the  summit  is  of  vast  extent,  embracing 
the  Buffalo  Plains  of  Colorado,  which  stretch  out 
north,  south,  and  eastward  in  a  seemingly  endless 
level,  like  an  ocean  floor.  Westward  the  eye  roams 
over  hundreds  of  snow-mantled  mountains,  whose 
peaks  soar  into  the  blue  vault  of  heaven  with  every 
variety  of  outline.  If  the  one  view  is  of  a  calm, 
waveless  ocean,  the  other  view  is  of  the  same  bound- 
less ocean  tossed  by  furious  winds  into  huge  masses 
of  black  and  white  billows  which  leap  against  the 
sky.  Far  below  is  the  busy  world  and  its  clamor. 
Only  the  firmament  .above  is  unmoved  in    its  bine 


210  BEYOND   THE    ROCKIES 

and  beautiful  serenity.  Looking  into  that  clear 
space,  it  seems  as  if  we  can  realize  the  presence  of 
Him  who  sitteth  on  high  above  the  floods  of  earth, 
who  holds  fast  the  mountains,  or  at  whose  touch  they 
tremble  and  smoke;  who  has  filled  these  mountains 
with  gold  and  gems,  and  clothed  them  with  majesty 
and  power;  who  has  spread  abroad  through  Nature 
the  evidence  of  His  greatness,  and  among  men  the 
proofs  of  His  goodness,  and  who  will  one  day  till  the 
whole  earth  with  His  glory. 

Denver  is  the  central  city  of  the  United  States. 
It  is  a  striking  example  of  growth  and  prosperity. 
Situated  in  the  midst  of  an  arid  country  fifteen  miles 
from  the  eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  a 
mile  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  with  no  navigable 
rivers  or  lakes,  it  has  yet  developed,  from  one  family 
living  in  a  log  cabin  in  1857,  into  a  city  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  which  contains 
man}'  large,  handsome,  and  substantial  buildings, 
tasteful  private  residences  and  gardens,  important 
industries  and  valuable  manufactures.  Sunshine, 
clear  and  stimulating  air,  the  grand  scenery  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  a  soil  that  responded  to  irri- 
gation are  at  the  foundation  of  the  success  of  Denver. 
Next  to  these  natural  advantages,  is  its  position  in 
the  heart  of  a  rich  mining  district.  Nearly  all  the 
known  minerals  exist  in  Colorado  in  happy  distribu- 
tion. Every  valle}T  where  water  is  brought  to  de- 
velop the  richness  of  the  soil,  is  bounded  by  hills 
that  contain  either  coal,  iron,  lead,  copper,  tin,  zinc, 
gold,  silver,  lime,  and  building-stone ;  or  deposits  of 
salt,  borax,  oil,  asphaltum,  and  textile  clays.     This 


COLORADO  SPRINGS,  MANITOU,  AND  DENVER        211 

position  made  the  town  a  railway  centre,  a  depot  for 
supplies,  and  by  natural  growth,  a  city.  Denver  is 
not  a  rough  Western  city.  It  has  an  air  of  business 
and  bustle,  but  not  the  reckless  helter-skelter  drive 
of  Chicago.  It  more  resembles  Cleveland  or  Buffalo 
than  the  "Windy  City,"  and  the  citizen  of  New 
York  does  not  feel  far  from  home  among  its  people 
or  in  its  streets.  The  population  of  Denver  was 
gathered  from  the  best  of  the  settlers  from  the  East. 
They  were  young  men  of  courage,  good  judgment, 
and  persistent  energy,  and  they  were  also  men  of 
good  character.  The  town  was  aggressive  and  yet 
conservative.  Side  by  side  with  enterprising  busi- 
ness and  vast  industries  rose  attractive  homes,  and 
commodious  schools,  well-equipped  churches,  and  a 
university  which  has  grown  out  of  Colorado  Semi- 
nary,  founded  in  1870,  the  same  year  in  which  the 
first  locomotive  entered  the  city. 

The  unrivalled  growth  of  the  United  States  has 
far  outstripped  the  conceptions  of  our  greatest  states- 
men. The  speech  of  Webster  in  1838,  delivered  in 
Congress  upon  the  question  of  establishing  a  post- 
route  from  Independence,  Missouri,  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Columbia  River,  is  one  of  the  most  striking  illus- 
trations of  this  statement.  Daniel  Webster  opposed 
the  bill,  and  closed  his  speech  as  follows:  "What 
do  we  want  with  this  vast,  worthless  area  ?  this  region 
of  savages  and  wild  beasts,  of  deserts,  shifting  sands, 
and  whirlwinds  of  dust,  of  cactus  and  prairie-dogs  ? 
To  what  use  could  we  ever  hope  to  put  these  great 
deserts,  or  those  endless  mountain  ranges,  impregna- 
ble, and   covered   to   their   very   base   with   eternal 


212  BEYOND   THE   EOCKIES 

snow  ?  What  can  we  ever  hope  to  do  with  the  west- 
ern coast,  a  coast  of  three  thousand  miles,  rock- 
bound,  cheerless,  uninviting,  and  not  a  harbor  on 
it?  What  use  have  we  for  such  a  country?  Mr. 
President,  I  will  never  vote  one  cent  from  the  public 
treasury  to  place  the  Pacific  coast  one  inch  nearer  to 
Boston  than  it  now  is."  It  was  a  two  months'  jour- 
ney in  those  years  from  Boston  to  where  Denver 
stands ;  we  go  now  with  ease  and  comfort  in  five 
days.  In  the  midst  of  the  "shifting  sands  "  of  this 
"worthless  area"  is  the  city  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  inhabitants  which  American  enterprise  has 
built,  not  as  a  solitary  Tadmor  to  show  the  power  of 
a  tyrant,  but  in  response  to  the  demand  of  a  great 
people  who  have  poured  the  waves  of  population  into 
and  over  the  desert,  and  made  it  a  garden  of  wealth 
and  beauty.  We  drove  out  through  long  and  Avell- 
kept  avenues  lined  with  hundreds  of  small  but  well- 
built  and  neatly  kept  houses,  to  the  City  Park  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  This  public  place 
is  but  partially  laid  out,  but  it  gives  promise  of  be- 
ing a  credit  and  a  blessing  to  the  city.  From  its 
roads  one  can  see  on  the  west  the  unbroken  line  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  extending  for  nearly  two  hun- 
dred miles  from  Pike's  Peak  on  the  south  to  Long's 
Peak  on  the  north,  the  summits  crowned  with  snow. 
The  city,  with  its  new  state  capital  and  fine  resi- 
dences around  it,  forms  a  grand  panorama  on  the 
east  as  seen  from  the  park. 

From  the  park  we  went  to  some  of  the  smelting 
works,  and  watched  the  processes  with  interest  from 
the  time  when  the  crude,  crushed  ore  was  dumped 


COLORADO  SPRINGS,  MANITOU,  AND  DENVER       213 

into  wheelbarrows  from  the  trains  till,  having  passed 
through  a  variety  of  changes,  it  came  out  in  large 
ingots  of  precious  metal.  The  value  of  the  ores 
reduced  here  in  a  single  year  (1891)  amounted  to 
twenty-four  and  one-half  millions.  A  friend  who 
has  made  the  mining  regions  of  Colorado  his  home 
for  a  dozen  years,  who  knows  all  the  mines  and  their 
products,  and  who,  as  a  practical  engineer,  is  famil- 
iar with  these  mineral  industries,  became  our  guide 
and  instructor  in  Denver.  He  made  me  at  home  at 
the  club,  took  me  to  see  the  assay  of  precious  metals 
and  the  many  places  of  interest  in  the  town,  and, 
with  some  other  equally  hospitable  friends,  aided  in 
the  formation  of  pleasant  impressions  upon  my  mind; 
but  had  I  known  no  one  in  Denver,  I  should  soon 
have  made  friends  and  found  myself  at  home. 

Here  our  tour  of  the  South  and  West  practically 
ended.  We  were  two  days  in  reaching  Chicago,  but 
the  route  was  familiar,  and  our  faces  and  thoughts 
were  turned  towards  the  great  Columbian  Exhibi- 
tion, then  in  the  fulness  of  its  glory.  It  has  now 
passed  like  the  others  which  preceded  it,  among 
which  it  was  the  largest  and  most  wonderful.  Its 
beauties  and  peculiarities  have  been  pictured  and 
described  again  and  again,  till  all  the  reading  world 
knows  them  by  heart.  After  a  couple  of  weeks  at 
Chicago,  on  a  summer  day  we  arrived  once  more  in 
New  York,  with  hearts  full  of  gratitude  for  safety 
and  health  through  months  of  travel,  and  memories 
stored  with  pictures,  which,  better  than  any  photo- 
graphs, reproduce  for  us  the  varied  and  instructive 
scenes  of  this  long  journey  in  some  of  the  grandest 


214  BEYOND    THE    ROCKIES 

and  most  beautiful  parts  of  our  broad  land.  He  who 
has  drunk  of  the  fountain  of  Trevi  in  Rome  is  sure 
to  return  to  the  Eternal  City,  and  so  one  who  has 
breathed  the  pure  and  delicious  air  of  the  Pacific 
coast,  and  wintered  in  Pasadena,  Santa  Barbara,  or 
El  Monte,  longs  to  shake  off  the  wintry  snow  from 
his  feet  and  seek  once  more  the  orange  orchards, 
the  rose  gardens,  and  the  balm}-  breezes  of  the  Golden 
State,  or  the  dry  and  exhilarating  atmosphere  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  I  have  long  since  said  good-by  to 
those  travelling  companions  with  whom  so  many  de- 
lightful da}rs  were  spent,  and  now  as  a  guide,  I  say 
adieu  to  the  great  company  of  readers  and  friends 
whom  I  have  personally  conducted  through  the  South- 
ern and  Western  regions  of  our  great  country. 


ICorfoooti  39rrss : 

J.  S.  Cushing-  &  Co. —  Berwick  &  Smith. 

Boston,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


DR.  STODDARD'S  OTHER  BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL. 

ACROSS    RUSSIA 

FROM  THE  BALTIC  TO  THE  DANUBE. 

ILLUSTRATED.     12mo.     $1.50. 


PRESS   NOTICES. 

"  Dr.  Stoddard  has  all  the  primary  essentials  of  a  tourist,  eyes  to  see, 
ears  to  hear,  with  a  well-pronounced  faculty  of.  keeping  the  precious 
metal  separate  from  the  dross.  .  .  .  He  made  good  use  of  his  time  and 
of  his  opportunities,  and  we  hut  do  him  justice  when  we  say  that  we 
know  of  no  hook  on  the  same  subject  in  which  so  much  useful,  read- 
able, enjoyable  matter  is  to  be  found."  —  Christian  at  Work. 

"  A  most  interesting  volume.  ...  A  keen  eye,  a  ready  wit,  and 
great  felicity  of  expression  have  enabled  the  author  to  present  to  the 
public  a  book  of  travels  quite  out  of  the  ordinary  style.  While  truth- 
ful as  sober  history,  it  is  as  charming  as  a  novel."  —  New  York  Journal 
of  Commerce. 

"The  volume  has  many  fine  illustrations.  Mr.  Stoddard  is  a  good 
traveller;  he  sees  well,  and  his  descriptions  of  people  and  places  are 
graphic  and  of  large  value.  .  .  .  Our  author  takes  in  all  the  leading 
cities,  sees  what  there  is  to  see  of  art,  visits  and  describes  the  famous 
palaces  and  churches  and  hospitals,  and  makes  his  book  as  profitable 
as  it  is  pleasing."  —  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

"  Iu  the  easy  style  of  a  traveller,  he  tells  his  readers  what  is  worth 
telling,  and  leaves  the  rest  unsaid.  .  .  .  The  great  works  of  art.  the 
imposing  churches,  the  capacious  palaces,  all  are  described  in  a  concise 
yet  satisfactory  manner,  as  well  as  the  customs,  religious  and  other- 
wise, of  the  people."  —  Christian  Intelligencer. 

"  The  author  of  this  book  sets  before  his  readers  vivid  pictures  of 
this  interesting  country  and  people." — United  Presbyterian,  Pitts- 
burgh. 

"Mr.  Stoddard  seems  to  have  had  exceptional  opportunities  to  study 
objects  of  interest,  and  writes  about  them  in  a  way  that  cannot  fail  to 
interest.  We  have  had  so  many  dark  pictures  of  Russia  lately  that  it 
is  a  pleasure  to  get  hold  of  a  book  that  is  to  a  certain  degree  optimistic. 
The  book  is  well  illustrated." —  The  School  Journal. 

"  The  eyes  through  which  we  look  in  this  pleasant  volume  of  travels 
are  not  unused  to  sight  seeing,  and  the  descriptions  here  given  are 
entertaining  and  happy."  —  Herald  and  Presbyter,  Cincinnati. 

"The  volume  richly  deserves  a  place  among  those  welcome  helps 
that  are  bringing  the  most  distant  and  unfrequented  parts  of  the  earth 
near  to  our  own  doors."  —  Golden  Rale,  Boston. 


SPANISH    CITIES 

WITH  GLIMPSES  OF  GIBRALTAR  AND  TANGIER. 

ILLUSTRATED.      12mo.      $1.50. 


PRESS   NOTICES. 


"He  fulfils  the  ideal  of  a  delightful  travelling  companion,  whose 
conversation  has  informing  qualities  without  being  tedious,  and  whose 
style  has  sparkle  and  flavor  without  froth."  —  Neiv  York  Tribune. 

"His  style  is  direct,  easy,  and  graceful,  and  his  strong  English  sen- 
tences have  need  of  few  adjectives  to  enforce  their  meaning.  His 
descriptions  of  places  are  concise  and  yet  clear,  and  so  markedly 
elegant  as  to  deserve  more  than  usual  commendation." — Chicago 
Inter-Ocean. 

"Dr.  Stoddard's  style  is  easy  and  flowing,  and  he  gives  us,  not 
merely  a  chronicle  of  where  he  went  and  what  he  saw,  but  he  gives  us 
a  series  of  delightful  pen  pictures  of  Spain  and  its  people,  their  habits 
and  customs  and  modes  of  life.  There  are  several  excellent  illustra- 
tions which  add  much  to  the  interest  of  the  work."  —  Boston  Daily 
Advertiser. 

"An  unusually  fresh  and  beautiful  book  of  travel."  —  Brooklyn 
Daily  Eagle. 

"  A  straightforward,  unpretentious,  interesting  account  of  travel  in 
Spain,  with  interesting  descriptions  of  cities,  and  passing  notes  of 
Spanish  life  without  tiresome  statistics  or  historical  rehashing."  —  The 
Independent. 

"  A  writer  who  has  the  power  of  seeing  things  as  well  as  describing 
what  he  sees.  To  read  it  is  to  take  one  of  the  most  delightful  trips 
conceivable  with  a  charming  companion  and  raconteur.  .  .  .  The 
illustrations  are  from  photographs,  and  add  very  much  to  the  attrac- 
tiveness of  the  volume." —  The  Detroit  Free  Press. 

"He  knows  well  how  to  find  the  points  and  the  persons  of  special 
interest,  and  then  understands  how  to  make  what  interests  himself 
seem  vivid  and  of  similar  interest  to  the  reader.  His  style,  while  pure 
and  simple,  is  picturesque  and  easily  appeals  to  the  reader's  imagina- 
tion."—  The  Advance. 

"Dr.  Stoddard  is  a  traveller  who  knows  what  he  wants  to  see,  and 
sees  it,  and  a  writer  who  knows  how  to  make  his  readers  see  what  he 
has  seen.  In  this  pleasant  tour  in  Spain  he  saw  the  present  and 
recalled  the  past,  and  his  sketches  of  what  he  saw  gain  an  added 
touch  of  romance  from  the  glimpses  he  gives  of  what  he  remembered 
of  their  former  history." —  The  Evangelist. 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  and  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


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